

### STUDIES IN REVELATION

The Fullness of the Times

### Jack Marshall

### STUDIES IN REVELATION

The Fullness of the Times

### Jack Marshall

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2017 Grain of Wheat Publishing

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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To the body of Christ.
Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Fullness

Chapter Two: Fulfilled

Chapter Three: Times

Chapter Four: Half a Time

Chapter Five: The Parable of the Tares

Chapter Six: The Fig Tree

Chapter Seven: The Doors

Chapter Eight: Son of Man

Chapter Nine: Amen

Chapter Ten: Abomination

Chapter Eleven: Sowing Discord

Chapter Twelve: Gather Together in One

Chapter Thirteen: The Elect

Chapter Fourteen: All the Angels

Chapter Fifteen: Fully Known

Chapter Sixteen: The Days of Noah

Chapter Seventeen: More on the Days of Noah

Chapter Eighteen: The Ark

Chapter Nineteen: The Seventh Trumpet

Chapter Twenty: The Book

Chapter Twenty-One: The Book of Life

Chapter Twenty-Two: Lazarus

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Testimony of the Numbers

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Third Part

Chapter Twenty-Five: Ten Days

Bibliography

Introduction

The subject of this study is similar to my study, "Time and Seasons – An Alternative View of the Day of the Lord," however, there are some differences in presentation and new understanding which is not found in the previous study.

There are mistakes in this presentation, not by intention, but out of ignorance. I am still and always will be learning. It has been difficult to put aside what I have inherited in order to see from a fresh perspective.

In His Grace,

Jack Marshall

Please note: All Hebrew and Greek definitions are taken from the Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary unless otherwise noted. All scriptures used are from the New King James version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

Ephesians 1:7-10 (NKJV)  
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in  
the dispensation of the fullness of the times  
He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.

# Chapter One

# FULLNESS

Ephesians 1:7-10 (NKJV)  
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 **having made known to us the mystery of His will** , _according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself_ , 10 that in **the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him**.

This is a remarkable set of passages, filled with meaning.

I first noticed the phrase, "Having made known to us the _mystery of His will_ , according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself." The "mystery of His will"? You mean the will of God and His unfolding purpose through Christ Jesus? Yes, I believe that's exactly what Paul meant.

What a blessed state of understanding that Paul enjoyed! No doubt, this was one reason why Paul was so driven to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (nations), devoting his life completely to fulfilling the call of God that was given him, and in the midst of this, writing so many of the letters that we now have contained in the New Testament. What a glorious legacy!

So did Paul share with us God's purpose? Yes, he did, following what he wrote with, "That in _the dispensation of the fullness of the times_ He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him."

The "dispensation of the fullness of the times." Was this just a casual mention of what lay ahead or a statement carrying a very specific meaning? Most definitely the latter. "The _dispensation_ of the _fullness_ of the _times_." Let's consider this.

Our word "dispensation" is defined by the Strong's Concordance as, "A _dministration_ (of a household or estate); especially a (religious) ' _economy_.'" Dictionary.com defines "administrate" as, "To manage or direct (the affairs of a business, institution, etc.)." The context of our passages in Ephesians shows that this administration or supervision if you will, is done by Christ, not us, but like Paul, it is done through us (Eph. 3:2). It is the Lord who will "gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him," but again it will be done through His people. In keeping with this thought, consider the following.

Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)  
11 So shall **my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth** : **it shall not return unto me void** , but **it shall accomplish that which I please** , and **it shall prosper** _in the thing_ **whereto I sent it**.

I think that sometimes we forget who is in control of things, don't you? And I also know that most do not realize "what" is in control of things. Clearly, it is the "Word" which has gone out of the mouth of our Maker, the Almighty, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. For this reason, the writer of Hebrews could state that His Word is "living and powerful," responsible for all things visible and invisible and for the laws and attributes which dictate every movement thereof. Intelligent Design? You better believe it! Even just a casual glance at what exists around us should prove to us that the wisdom of our Creator is beyond our present, finite comprehension! No wonder John wrote, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). Since the beginning of time, it has been His Word in control of all that is taking place on this planet.

"Fullness." Strong's defines this as, " _Repletion_ or _completion_ , i.e. (subject) what _fills_ (as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or (object) what is _filled_ (as container, performance, period)." It's derived from the word which means, "To _make replete_ , i.e. (literal) to _cram_ (a net), _level_ up (a hollow), or (figurative) to _furnish_ (or _imbue, diffuse, influence_ ), _satisfy, execute_ (an office), _finish_ (a period or task), _verify_ (or _coincide_ with a prediction), etc." As we can see, this idea of "fullness" suggests many things, but in its simplest form speaks of "what fills" or "completion." For our purposes, the best example of "fullness" is the fruit of a tree.

Matthew 7:15-20 (NKJV)  
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 **You will know them by their fruits**. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, **every good tree bears good fruit** , but **a bad tree bears bad fruit**. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor _can_ a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 **Therefore by their** fruits **you will know them**.

A tree begins with a seed which, when fully mature, bears fruit. Once the fruit is ripe, it has reached its "fullness" or seven. It is then good for food and contains many more seeds than the one which began the process.

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus taught that the "seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11), so once again, we have that which dictates the movement of all things; His living Word. His Word started the process and His Word, sooner or later, always reaches "fullness." When it does, it is "fulfilled," meaning filled to the full.

In our passages from Matthew, the "bad tree" and its "bad fruit" denotes the "works of the flesh" which Paul enumerated in Galatians, Chapter 5, verses 19 through 21, while the "good tree" and its "good fruit" speaks of the "fruit of the Spirit" in verses 22 through 23. The "bad fruit" issues from our own will and desires while the "good fruit" issues from His will and desires. So it is the "fruit" of His Spirit, not ours, that must become evident.

With our understanding of "fullness" in mind, it is important for us to consider the spiritual meaning of the number seven. Here's an explanation from Dr. Stephen E. Jones and his book, The Biblical Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty.

Seven (zayin)

Completion, Spiritual Perfection

Zayin is a weapon in Hebrew. The perfect weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, by which spiritual warfare is accomplished, for "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal" (2 Cor. 10:4).

Seven is the biblical number of completion and spiritual perfection. As such, Psalm 7 speaks of the two floods by which the earth is cleansed and brought to the perfect order of the Kingdom.

Seven days completes a Sabbath cycle. In Rev. 10:7 the mystery of God is finished when the seventh angel blows his trumpet. In Rev. 16:7 "it is done" when the seventh angel pours out the seventh vial into the air. It took seven days to consecrate Aaron and his sons to the priesthood (Lev. 8:31-35) before emerging from the tabernacle on the eighth day. Joshua and the Israelite army had to march around Jericho seven days (Joshua 6:15) before the city fell.

In his book, _Biblical Mathematics_ , Ed F. Vallowe wrote, "When man began to analyze and combine numbers, he developed other interesting symbols. He took the perfect world number FOUR and added to it the perfect divine number, THREE, and got SEVEN, the most sacred number to the Hebrews. It was earth crowned with heaven—the four-square earth plus the divine COMPLETENESS OF GOD. So we have seven expressing COMPLETENESS through union of earth with heaven. This number is used more than all other numbers in the Word of God, save the number ONE."

In Number in Scripture—Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, E.W. Bullinger wrote that seven is "the great number of spiritual perfection." He goes on to state that seven is from the root which means "to be full or satisfied, have enough of," and "it is seven, therefore, that stamps with perfection and completeness that in connection with which it is used."

The number seven is mentioned 88 times in the New Testament, 55 of those in the book of the Revelation. This being the case, this shows that the book of the Revelation incorporates and expresses a "fullness" which needs to be considered throughout. So, when we bring our understanding of seven to the " _fullness_ of the times," I believe it reveals to us that the book of the Revelation is a symbolic illustration of this "dispensation" and all that it involves.

John 1:16 (NKJV)  
16 And of **His** fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

# Chapter Two

# FULFILLED

Matthew 1:22-23 (KJV)  
22 Now all this was done, **that it might be** fulfilled **which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet** , saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child...

Matthew 2:16-18 (KJV)  
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. 17 **Then was** fulfilled **that which was spoken by Jeremy** (Jeremiah) **the prophet** ...

Matthew 2:23 (KJV)  
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: **that it might be** fulfilled...

Matthew 4:13-14 (KJV)  
13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14 **That it might be** fulfilled **which was spoken by Esaias** (Isaiah) **the prophet** ...

Mark 1:15 (KJV)  
15 And saying, **The time is** fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mark 14:49 (KJV)  
49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: **but the scriptures must be** fulfilled.

Mark 15:28 (KJV)  
28 And **the scripture was** fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

Luke 21:22 (KJV)  
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that **all things which are written may be** fulfilled.

Matthew 5:17-18 (NKJV)  
17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. **I did not come to destroy but to** fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law **till all is** fulfilled.

These are just a few of the passages in the New Testament that contain the word "fulfilled." Each time we see this word, we see a _seven_ , a scripture or prophecy of the Old Testament which _came to pass_ as God declared through His prophets long before it happened. This reveals to us the immutability of God's Word and the fact that "all things which are written" _are_ and _will be fulfilled_ as spoken by the Lord. This is why the writer of Hebrews states that His Word is " _living_ and _powerful_ " (Heb. 4:12). The "living" Word is an ever-present Word, _unfolding_ and _advancing_ the _purpose of God_ on this earth that will end as He has determined; His Word will not return to Him void and it will accomplish what He pleases, prospering in the thing for which He sent it (Isa. 55:11). For this reason, we find John writing the following at the end of the book of the Revelation.

Revelation 22:18-19 (NKJV)  
18 For I testify to everyone who hears **the words of the prophecy of this book** : If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from **the words of the book of this prophecy** , God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and _from_ the things which are written in this book.

Anyone familiar with the Bible knows that it is filled with _prophecy_ , of predictions that just like our previous passages, speak of something _before_ it takes place. Not only is this true, but prophecy, once spoken, _assures that it will take place_ , for it is the will of God revealed _through_ man and _to_ man.

No doubt, John's vision on the island of Patmos which resulted in the book of the Revelation, is a prophecy from beginning to end, thus the reason we find our passages above and the phrases, "the words of the prophecy of this book" and "the words of the book of this prophecy." The "words of the prophecy" are "the words of the book," immutable, unchangeable, and destined for fulfillment regardless of whether we believe it or not. Though the world at large (and even many of God's own) may be skeptical, once we truly understand this Word of prophecy, we will find that it has been unfolding exactly as God revealed through John.

So allow me to emphasize. The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is a prophetic parable, revealing to those of humble heart and mind the "mystery of His will" and the purpose of God "which He purposed in Himself." It is an understanding of the "dispensation of the _fullness_ of the times" that ends with the Lord gathering "all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him." This is why Jesus taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth _as it is_ in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). "All things which are written" in this book have either _been fulfilled_ , _are being fulfilled_ , or _will be fulfilled_ (Rev. 1:19). It is the reason why this book contains so many "sevens."

# Chapter Three

# TIMES

Ephesians 1:10 (NKJV)  
10 ... that in the dispensation of the fullness of the **times** He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.

Strong's defines our word "times" as, "Of uncertain affinity; an _occasion_ , i.e. _set_ or _proper_ time." The transliteration of this word is Kairos. This same word is used in the following.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 (NKJV)  
1 But concerning the **times** (Chronos) and the **seasons** ( _Kairos_ ), brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

Like me, you probably thought our word "times" above was the same as that found in Ephesians. Instead, it is the word translated as "seasons." Our word "times" is actually a different word, transliterated as Chronos and means, "A space of _time_ (in general)," and goes on to say, "Properly distinguished from _Kairos_ , which designates a _fixed_ or special occasion." So Chronos is a "space of _time_ " while _Kairos_ is "a _fixed_ or special occasion." _Kairos_ then is "seasons." Both words are brought together in verse one of I Thessalonians above and their meanings are clearly connected to "the _day_ of the Lord." This being the case, we should realize that day evolves into night and night into day. It is not day one moment then night the next; there is an _overlapping_ period of twilight or dawn in regard to both.

Time can be demonstrated in a linear fashion, such as drawing a straight line from Point A to Point B. The space or distance between them designates time. Within time are found "seasons," summer, fall, winter, and spring, so when Paul spoke of "the times and the seasons," he was referring to the space of time where the change of the seasons take place.

Just like day and night, seasons do not instantly change from one to another. Though we may mark the first day of summer on our calendars, all of us know that the spring weather gradually gets warmer until summer is declared. In other words, spring evolves into summer, summer progresses into fall, and fall into winter; there is an overlap. This aligns with our understanding of prophecy where the Word declared unfolds as God has determined. In the book of the Revelation, this is especially true, where we find seven prophecies to seven churches (Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3), each one unfolding and basically overlapping the next as the Lord's words come to pass in their time. When the seventh prophecy is reached, we arrive at the "fullness of the times" as indicated by our number seven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (ESV)  
1 **For everything there is a** season **, and a** time **for every matter under heaven** : 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; **a time to plant** , and **a time to pluck up what is planted** ...

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." This again shows the immutability of God's Word, for Jesus taught us to pray, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10; KJV). This is not to be considered an exercise of our own will and what we want, but rather a humble alignment and acceptance of the will of God which He has purposed in Christ and revealed through His written Word. He alone is qualified to take care of "every matter under heaven."

"Times" and "seasons" are important to us as humans. Without them, we could neither "plant" nor "pluck up what is planted" (harvest). This does, of course, speak of seedtime and harvest (Gen. 8:22), the planting of wheat, barley, fruits, vegetables, and so on, which are essential to human existence. We could state then that "harvest" is also indicative of "fullness," for once the fruit of a tree is completely ripe, we pluck it from the tree for consumption. If needed, we also take the seeds of the fruit in order to start the process all over again.

This same principle of seedtime (sowing) and harvest (reaping) can be applied to the realm of knowledge and understanding, human as well as divine. Jesus illustrated this in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew, Chapter 13, Mark, Chapter 4, and Luke, Chapter 8. It is in Luke, Chapter 8, verse 11, where Jesus said that "the seed is the Word of God." So, just as a natural seed gradually develops into a tree with ripened fruit, so too those things which are stipulated by His Word also advance until it reaches "fullness" or maturity.

Our word "times" is _plural_ , as opposed to "time," _singular_. Consider the following passages.

Revelation 12:14 (NKJV)  
14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for **a time and times and half a time** ...

Daniel 7:24-25 (NKJV)  
24 The **ten horns** _are_ **ten kings** _who_ shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. 25 He shall speak _pompous_ words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then _the saints_ shall be given into his hand for **a time and times and** half (a dividing of; KJV) **a time**.

Daniel 12:7 (NKJV)  
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who _was_ above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that _it shall be_ for **a time, times, and half** _a time_ _;_ and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these _things_ shall be finished.

There is much we could get into in these passages, but for now, let's just consider our phrase "a time and times and half a time."

The first thing to realize is that the prophecies of Daniel align with the prophecy of Revelation 12:14, for I don't believe there's more than one "time and times and half a time." Further confirmation is found in the mention of the "ten horns" or "kings" in Daniel. This correlates with Revelation, Chapter 17, verses 12 and 13, where we read, "And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings" (ESV).

As we have considered, "time" is defined by Point A to Point B, so, we could easily say that "times" is defined by Point B to Point C and Point C to Point D, since it is more than one "time." Mathematically, this would be 1 (time), then 2 (times), for a total of 3. And what is left? A "half" or "dividing" of time. So why break it down like this? Due to a couple of things. Please consider.

Matthew 12:40 (NKJV)  
40 For as Jonah was **three** days and **three** nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be **three** days and **three** nights **in the heart of the earth**.

John 2:19 (NKJV)  
19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in **three days** I will raise it up."

Remember, just as day and night represent the passing of time, it also incorporates the seasons which come and go. So if we think in these terms, what Jesus said in Matthew 12:40 and John 2:19 is much more meaningful and prophetic than just a reference to His death, burial, and resurrection.

"Three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Is this just literal? I don't believe so, for Peter wrote, "Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (II Peter 3:8). So if this is the case, then what do our three days and nights signify? Let me share an illustration with you that will help in our understanding.

This is an illustration of the golden lampstand which God instructed Moses and Israel to fashion and place in what was called the Holy Place of the Tabernacle of Meeting (Moses) (Exod. 25:31-40; 26:35; 37:17-24; 40:24). As seen, there are _seven_ branches, which illustrates the "fullness" which we are considering. As also shown, I have included the _three_ great Feasts of Israel which God instructed Israel to keep on an ongoing basis every year (Exod. 23:14-17). These _three_ feasts are divided into _seven_ segments and represent the harvest "seasons," so, in keeping with our perspective, we have both "times" and "seasons" (I Thess. 5:1).

The Feast of the Passover, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread

This consisted of:

1. The Passover (Exod. 12:1-23; Lev. 23:4, 5; Deut. 16:1-3)

2. The Unleavened Bread (Exod. 12:18; 23:15; Lev. 23:6-8; Deut. 16:3-4)

3. The Sheaf of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:10-14)

The Feast of Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, of Harvest, of Firstfruits

4. (Exod. 23:16; Lev. 23:15-21; Deut. 16:9-12; Acts 2:1)

The Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths, or of Ingathering

This consisted of:

5. The Blowing of Trumpets (Lev. 23:24-25)

6. The Day of Atonement (Lev. 16; 23:27-32)

7. Feast of Tabernacles (Exod. 23:16; Lev. 23:34-44; Deut. 16:13-15)

As we see, the Feast of Passover involved three segments, so too the Feast of Tabernacles, but the Feast of Pentecost stood alone. As the illustration shows, the Feast of Pentecost is symbolized by the central branch of the lampstand and correlates with the "time" of our " _time_ and times." Here's why.

Galatians 4:1-7 (NKJV)  
1 Now I say _that_ the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, 2 but is under guardians and stewards **until the** time **appointed by the father**. 3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. 4 But **when the** fullness **of the** time **had come** , God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

"But when the _fullness_ of the _time_ had come, God sent forth His Son." This speaks of the Lord's coming to the Jews and the lost sheep of the House of Israel almost two thousand years ago. This is our "time" in " _time_ and times." His coming in the flesh culminated in the establishment of the New Testament Church, beginning with the "Day of Pentecost" in Acts, Chapter 2.

As our lampstand illustrates, "time" is followed by "times" and signifies the last feast of the three, the Feast of Tabernacles, the _three_ segments of this feast denoting "times and half a time."

If we treat each branch of the lampstand as a "day" due to its _flame_ or "light" (Gen. 1:5), and each space as the "night" due to no flame or light, you'll find that we have seven "days" but only six "nights."

The space between Pentecost and Tabernacles represents the "night" of Pentecost which incorporates the destruction of the temple of God ("Destroy this temple") which was physically and _parabolically_ fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the Roman General Titus conquered Jerusalem and leveled the temple to the ground.

If we begin with the first branch of the lampstand counting right, we have:

Feast of Passover

1. Day (branch) and night (space)

2. Day (branch) and night (space)

3. Day (branch) and night (space)

Feast of Pentecost

4. Day (branch) and night (space) [1st Day/Night] [ _Destroy this temple_ ...]

Feast of Tabernacles

5. Day (branch) and night (space) [2nd Day/Night] ( **1** ) [... _and in three days_ ...]

6. Day (branch) and night (space) [3rd Day/Night] ( **2** )

**Fullness** [ **Half a Time** ]

7. Day (branch) [4th Day] [Fullness of the Times; 7th Trumpet] ( **3** ) [... _I will raise it up_ ]

Note how our list ends with a _seven_ and "Day," but again, there's no space or "night" after it. Since day _and_ night is twenty-four hours or what we call a full "day," then we have only "half a time" on the _seventh_ branch of the lampstand (see John 11:9). That being said, consider the following.

Revelation 21:22-25 (NKJV)  
22 But I saw no temple in it (the holy Jerusalem; Rev. 21:10), for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 **The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it** , for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb _is_ its light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day ( **there shall be no night there** ).

Revelation 22:5 (NKJV)  
5 **There shall be no night there** : They (His servants; Rev. 22:3) need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

In keeping with our pattern, we find at the end of the book of Revelation that the "holy city, New Jerusalem," which "comes down out of heaven from God," has "no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light." "There shall be no night there" agrees with the seventh and final branch of the lampstand, which denotes the spiritual fulfillment (7) of the Feast of Tabernacles. Here's our first list, changed to reflect our understanding.

The Feast of the Passover, or the Feast of Unleavened Bread

This consisted of:

1. The Passover (Exod. 12:1-23; Lev. 23:4, 5; Deut. 16:1-3)

2. The Unleavened Bread (Exod. 12:18; 23:15; Lev. 23:6-8; Deut. 16:3-4)

3. The Sheaf of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:10-14)

Three Days and Three Nights in the Heart of the Earth

TIME (1)

4. The Feast of Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, of Harvest, of Firstfruits

(Exod. 23:16; Lev. 23:15-21; Deut. 16:9-12; Acts 2:1)

[ **1** st **Day and Night** ; _Destroy this temple_ ...]

TIMES (2, 3)

The Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths, or of Ingathering

5. The Blowing of Trumpets (Lev. 23:24-25)

[ **2** nd **Day and Night** ( **1** ); ... _and in three days_ ...]

6. The Day of Atonement (Lev. 16; 23:27-32)

[ **3** rd **Day and Night** ( **2** )]

HALF A TIME (1/2)

Fullness

7. Feast of Tabernacles (Exod. 23:16; Lev. 23:34-44; Deut. 16:13-15)

[ **4** th **Day** ( **3** )... _I will raise it up_.]

Here's a final thought for you in light of our list. Jesus said, "Three days and three nights _in the heart of the earth_." Consider.

John 14:16-17, 26 (NKJV)  
16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you... 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 16:7 (NKJV)  
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; **for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you**.

Friend, I believe we are the "earth" which Jesus referred to in Matthew 12:40. Doesn't the Parable of the Sower confirm this (see also I Cor. 15:47)? And Jesus made it clear to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to depart in order for the Holy Spirit to be sent to them and be "in" them. No doubt about it, this was the most significant and remarkable change which Jesus implemented through His death on the cross. Up until the Lord's coming to the Jews, the Spirit had been _with_ natural Israel, but now the Spirit would be _in_ spiritual Israel (Gal. 6:15-16). What began in the natural realm is being _finished_ in the spiritual (I Cor. 15:46).

# Chapter Four

# HALF A TIME

Revelation 12:14 (NKJV)  
14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for **a time and times and half a time** , from the presence of the serpent.

Daniel 7:24-25 (NKJV)  
24 The **ten horns** _are_ **ten kings** _who_ shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings. 25 He shall speak _pompous_ words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then _the saints_ shall be given into his hand for **a time and times and** half (a dividing of; KJV) **a time**.

Daniel 12:7 (NKJV)  
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who _was_ above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that _it shall be_ for **a time, times, and half** _a time_ _;_ and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these _things_ shall be finished.

Look once more at our pattern which incorporates our three Feasts of Israel.

Feast of Passover

1. Day (branch) and night (space)

2. Day (branch) and night (space)

3. Day (branch) and night (space)

Feast of Pentecost

4. Day (branch) and night (space)

[1st Day and Night; _Destroy this temple_ ...]

Feast of Tabernacles

5. Day (branch) and night (space)

[2nd Day and Night ( **1** ); ... _and in three days_ ...]

6. Day (branch) and night (space)

[3rd Day and Night ( **2** )]

Fullness

7. Day (branch) [ **Half a Time** ]

[4th Day ( **3** ); _Fullness_ of the Times; 7th Trumpet; ... _I will raise it up_.]

In our illustration in the previous chapter and our list above, our _seventh_ and _final_ branch of the lampstand correlates with the third and final segment of the Feast of Tabernacles which as shown is "half a time." This "half" or "dividing of time" is also typified in the book of Genesis.

Genesis 2:1-3 (NKJV)  
1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the **seventh** day **God ended His work which He had done** , and **He rested on the seventh** day from **all His work which He had done**. 3 Then **God blessed the seventh day and sanctified** it, **because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made**.

In the beginning, God created everything in six "days," but on the seventh, "He rested" "from all His work which He had done. Then God _blessed_ the seventh day and _sanctified_ it because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." So the _seventh_ is "blessed" and "sanctified," no doubt due to the fact that it represents the _fulfillment_ (7) of His living and powerful and creative Word.

What we find in these statements is another indication of the irrefutable essence of the Word of God. "God said" on the first six days of creation but on the seventh day He "ended His work which He had done." _All that needed to be said had been said_ and all that remained was for this Word to reach its maturity in the earth, to be fulfilled even as He intended. No wonder Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone (natural means), _but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God_ (spiritual means)" (Matt. 4:4). Whether we realize it or not, all that has transpired since the creation of the human race has evolved according to His living Word, and all of us have been participants in a divine purpose which few have ever truly understood.

Psalms 119:89 (NKJV)  
89 Forever, O Lord, **Your word is settled in heaven**.

Psalms 119:160 (ESV)  
160 The **sum of your word is** truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Psalms 138:2 (NKJV)  
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For **You have magnified Your word above all Your name**.

"You have magnified Your word above all Your name," the Psalmist wrote. What an incredible and all-encompassing statement! We have all heard the saying that a person is only as good as their word. No doubt, the same is true of our Maker. Ah, but unlike us, once He speaks, it "is settled in heaven." And once it is "sown" in the earth it is just a matter of time before it springs forth out of the ground of His creation to manifest in its fullness. "Thy will be done in earth (the unfolding of His Word...), _as it is in heaven_ (... as it was spoken)" (Matt. 6:10; KJV).

John 12:44-50 (NKJV)  
44 Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come _as_ a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 **And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world**. 48 **He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge** him in **the last day**. 49 For I have not spoken on My own _authority;_ but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, **what I should say and what I should speak**. 50 And I know that **His command is everlasting life**. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

These passages leave no doubt. Christ knew and understood the living and powerful essence of His Father's Word. And what did Jesus say? "And _if anyone hears My words_ and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, _and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge_ him in _the last day_."

Friend, in the same way that God spoke and it was settled, so too Christ, for He did not speak from His own authority but by the authority of His Father (John 8:26). When we truly realize this, then the prophecies to the seven churches in the book of the Revelation become (as well they should), indisputable evidence of the will of God for His body, His church. And not one of these prophecies has or will fail until all has been fulfilled.

Now, as previously mentioned, there are _seven_ "days" (branches) and _six_ "nights" (spaces) symbolized by our lampstand. Together, this gives us _thirteen_. Here's an understanding of its spiritual meaning from Dr. Stephen E. Jones.

Thirteen (yod-gimel)

Rebellion, Depravity

To write thirteen in Hebrew, they wrote two Hebrew letters: yod-gimel. These signify the hand (outworking) of pride.

The number thirteen speaks of rebellion and depravity. The first occurrence of the number 13 in the Bible is found in Gen. 14:4, where it signifies a time of rebellion:

4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled.

There were 13 tribes of Israel, including Levi, after Joseph received the double portion with two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh. And when the tribes were given their inheritances in Canaan, there were 13 inheritances as well. Levi received no inheritance, but Manasseh received a double portion, one on each side of the Jordan River. These show the rebellious heart of Israel after the flesh.

In Mark 7:21, 22 Jesus lists 13 sins that proceed out of the heart of a carnal man. The word "dragon" appears 13 times in the book of Revelation.

Dr. Bullinger points out on pages 206, 207 of his book, Number in Scripture, that in the lineage of Cain (from Adam to Tubal Cain), when we add the gematria of all the names, it comes to 2223, a multiple of 13 (13 x 171). Contrast this with the lineage from Adam to Japheth (Noah's oldest son), which is 3168. This is also the gematria of "Lord Jesus Christ." (800 + 888 \+ 1480 = 3168)

On pages 216 and 217, Dr. Bullinger points out that the names of Judah's kings have a gematria of 4400 (8 x 550), while the names of Israel's kings have a gematria of 3900 (13 x 300). While Judah's kings (David's lineage) were anything but perfect, they did provide the genealogy to Jesus Christ, while the kings of Israel were in open revolt against the house of David in Jerusalem. Thus, the gematria of Israel's kings is a multiple of 13, the number of rebellion or depravity.

Thirteen; _rebellion_ and _depravity_ , the "hand (outworking) of pride." No surprise here, for when Jesus said that we live by every word of God, He was quoting from Deuteronomy. Consider.

Deuteronomy 8:1-3 (NKJV)  
1 "Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. 2 _And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness_ , **to humble you** _and_ **test you** , to know what _was_ in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 **So He humbled you** , allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, **that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread** alone; but **man lives by every** _word_ **that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord**.

Who but our Creator understands the human heart? Jeremiah said, "The heart is deceitful _above all things_ , and desperately wicked; Who can know it"? (Jer. 17:9) "Above-all-things," beloved, so Jeremiah wrote, "I, the LORD, _search the heart_ , _I test the mind_ , even to give every man according to his ways, according to the _fruit_ of his doings" (Jer. 17:10).

Do we know our own hearts? No, we do not! And if anyone thinks otherwise, they are lifted up in pride and their "fruit" will most certainly reveal this. No wonder Moses led Israel into the wilderness after four hundred years of bondage and servitude in Egypt. Despite the bondage they had known for so long, _they were still in need of being humbled_ , and the same thing is true of each of us when we are first called out of the world (Egypt).

Now, let me come back to "half a time." As our illustration shows, this speaks of the _seventh_ and final branch. As mentioned, it is "half a time" due to the fact that there is no space or "night" after the seventh branch. In the book of Daniel, the King James renders this phrase as "a _dividing_ of time." That being said, please consider.

Genesis 1:3-5 (NKJV)  
3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 And **God saw the light** , that _it was_ good; and God **divided** _the light from the darkness_. 5 God called the light **Day** , and the darkness He called **Night**. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

First, "God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." Then "God saw the light, that it was good." Finally, "God divided" or _separated_ "the light _from_ the darkness." It takes day and night for time, so when we separate day _from_ night, light _from_ darkness, we have a "dividing of time," a "half a time" as illustrated by the seventh branch. With this in mind, consider the following.

Matthew 25:31-34 (NKJV)  
31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 **All the nations will be gathered before Him** , and **He will** separate **them one from another, as a shepherd divides** _his_ **sheep from the goats**. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, **inherit the kingdom** prepared for you from the foundation of the world...

Our "half a time" is explained for us in the Lord's teaching on the Parable of the Sheep and Goats. It denotes the time when He " _divides_ his sheep _from_ the goats," where He _separates_ the children of "light" _from_ the children of "darkness" (I Thess. 5:6). There is another parable which confirms our perspective which we will consider in the next chapter.

Now, here's an important note. If we pay close attention to the Lord's discourse in Matthew, Chapter 24, we will find that it leads to the Parable of the Ten Virgins, followed by the Parable of the Talents, and finally, the Parable of the Sheep and Goats. All of these parables actually refer back to and emphasize what Jesus was saying in Matthew, Chapter 24, about the "parable from the fig tree" (Matt. 24:32) and the "days of Noah" (Matt. 24:37-42). We'll look at this more in the chapters ahead.

# Chapter Five

# THE PARABLE OF THE TARES

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 (NKJV)  
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 **but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way**. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, **then the tares also appeared**. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, **'Do you want us then to go and gather them up**?' 29 But he said, ' **No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them**. 30 **Let both grow together until the harvest** , and at **the time of harvest** I will say to the reapers, " **First** gather together the tares **and bind them in bundles to burn them, but** gather the wheat **into my barn.** '"... 36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the **parable of the tares** of the field." 37 He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked _one._ 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, **the harvest is the end of the age** , and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, **so it will be at the end of this age**. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the **furnace of fire**. **There will be wailing and** gnashing **of teeth**. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

_Seven_ is "fullness" which also denotes "harvest." According to our parable, the "harvest" comes at "the end of the age" (not the end of the world as some suppose). But what happens before this? As Jesus taught, "Let both _grow together_ until the harvest."

When we compare this parable to the prophecies of the seven churches, we have clarification. Found within the seven prophecies, we see the fulfillment of the Lord's parable, the rise of the "tares" among the "wheat," sown by the "enemy," the "devil" and "Satan" (Rev. 2:2, 9-10, 13, 24). This began shortly after the establishment of the New Testament Church almost two thousand years ago and has been developing since then. For this reason, _I believe the seven trumpets of Revelation represent the unfolding of the seven prophecies to the church_ and began _coming to pass_ (sounding) during the early days of the apostles. The "sounding" of the trumpets correlates with the Lord's admonition to each church where He states, "He who has an ear, _let him hear_ what the Spirit says to churches" (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). When we "hear" the trumpets, we "hear what the Spirit" is saying to the church. Considering man's nature, it should come as no surprise that the "tares" or wicked have been squarely in the midst of the church since its beginning in the book of Acts.

Ah, but the Lord has determined that at "the end of the age" He will "gather _out_ of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Now, not for a moment do I believe that this "furnace of fire" speaks of eternal torment in the traditional hell which tradition has led us to think. Rather, it speaks of the prophetic elements of God's "fiery law" (Deut. 33:2) which stands against any and all carnality that finds its way into the body of Christ. Do we find this "furnace of fire" in the book of the Revelation? We do. Please consider.

Revelation 9:1-4 (NKJV)  
1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the **bottomless pit**. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a **great furnace**. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Do these passages seem spooky? Perhaps, but they are just a parable, a means to describe something we need to understand. Careful study will show that the "bottomless pit" or "furnace of fire" is synonymous with the beast which rises out of the sea in Revelation, Chapter 13, more specifically of the _nature_ of this beast, which is "blasphemy" (Rev. 13:1). "Blasphemy" is a word which describes the arrogance out of which proceeds our resistance to the principles of God's Kingdom (II Thess. 2:4).

If we continue to read in Matthew, Chapter 24, verses 37 through 51, we will find that the Lord's "punishment" at His coming is not eternal torment, but to be "cut" "in two," or _divided_ from the sheep, and given a "portion (share) _with the hypocrites_. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 24:51). The "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in this passage corresponds with our "furnace of fire" and "wailing and gnashing of teeth" in Matthew 13:42 above (for this reason, it is known as the "first woe"; Rev. 8:13). Wouldn't this agree with the _separation_ of the sheep and the goats?

I was surprised to find that our word "furnace" is found only four times in the New Testament. The first occurrence is in our passages above. The second follows after in the Parable of the Net.

Matthew 13:47-50 (NKJV)  
47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48 which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and **gathered the good into vessels** , but threw the bad away. 49 **So it will be at the end of the age**. The angels will come forth, **separate the wicked from among the just** , 50 and **cast them into the** furnace **of fire**. **There will be wailing and** gnashing **of teeth**."

As we see, this parable agrees with the Parable of the Tares. The "good" is gathered "into vessels" but the "bad" is thrown away, the "wicked" _separated_ "from among the just" and "cast" "into the furnace of fire" where again we see "wailing and gnashing of teeth" (woe; _grief_ ).

Our last two occurrences of the word "furnace" are found in Revelation, the first in Revelation 1:5 and the second in our passages from Revelation, Chapter 9, concerning the "bottomless pit." Now, for the sake of understanding, what does our "bottomless pit" signify? Please consider.

Proverbs 27:20 (KJV)  
20 Hell and destruction are never full; so **the eyes of man are never satisfied**.

"Hell" and "destruction," Proverbs states. Consider the English Standard Version of this passage.

Proverbs 27:20 (ESV)  
20 Sheol and **Abaddon** are never satisfied, and **never satisfied are the eyes of man**.

See our word "Abaddon"? This same word is found in our passages concerning the "bottomless pit."

Revelation 9:11 (NKJV)  
11 And **they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit** , whose name in Hebrew _is_ Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

As noted, the ESV translates "destruction" as "Abaddon," and this is appropriate. In regard to the bottomless pit, we find an "angel" or _spirit_ if you will which is "king" over the "locusts" which rise out of the smoke of the pit (Rev. 9:3). All of this simply denotes the insatiable desires of the flesh, of the carnal mind which _is_ death (Rom. 8:6).

"Locusts" symbolizes that which destroys the _fruitfulness_ of His Spirit whereas "never satisfied" simply means _discontent_. Even a casual glance at our present society shows this to be true. Our constant longing for more has and is taking us down a path of destruction that is unprecedented (Luke 8:14; 21:34).

Our word "Sheol"? It's the Hebrew word translated as "Hades" in the New Testament which is defined as, " _Unseen_ ," taken from the word which means, "To _inquire_ ; by implication to _request_ ; by extension to _demand_." Sheol is translated as "grave" 31 times in the Old Testament and "pit" 3 times.

"Bottomless"? Yes, as in "never satisfied." "Pit"? Yes, as in "grave," i.e. to be _surrounded_ by the "earthy" nature of the "first man" (I Cor. 15:47-49), indicative of the "natural man" who is unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:14), also referred to as the "old man" (Rom. 6:6) and "man of sin" (II Thess. 2:3). So "hell" is not a place that we go to _after_ we die, but _a state of being_ while we live on this planet and are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). Jesus made this clear when He told Nicodemus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (from above) _he cannot see_ the kingdom of God (unseen; Hades)" and again, "Whoever does not obey the Son _shall not see life_ (unseen; Hades), but the _wrath_ of God remains on him" (John 3:3, 36; ESV). Friend, know that it is the law which works (accomplishes) wrath (Rom. 4:15), therefore those who do not follow Christ at this time remain under the tutorage of His "fiery law" (and its prophetic fulfillment) until they are brought to Christ and their eyes are opened to His Father's purpose (Gal. 3:23-25).

"Sheol," "Hell," "Hades." "Inquire," "request," "demand." No wonder Jesus said, " _Ask_ , and it will be given to you; _seek_ , and you will find; _knock_ , and it will be opened to you." Oh my friend, how badly do we wish for the kingdom of God on this earth? When we sincerely seek the Lord, He will remove from us those fleshly longings that keep us so deeply in bondage.

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)  
13 "Enter by the narrow gate; **for wide** _is_ **the gate and broad** _is_ **the way that leads to destruction** , and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow _is_ the gate and difficult _is_ the way which leads to life, **and there are few who find it**.

# Chapter Six

# THE FIG TREE

Let's look at our illustration of the lampstand once again.

As our illustration shows, "Times" correlates with the "Day" and "Night" of "Trumpets" (1) and the "Day" and "Night" of "Atonement" (2), the _fifth_ and _sixth_ branches, which ends with "half a time" (3), the _seventh_ and _final_ branch of the lampstand, which is "Tabernacles" proper. The sixth branch or "Day" and "Night" of "Atonement" is the _end_ of "times," which brings us to our _seventh_ and _final_ branch or "half a time." Please consider.

John 6:37-40 (ESV)  
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, **but raise it up on the last day**. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that **everyone who looks on the Son** and believes in him should have eternal life, **and I will raise him up on the last day**."

The "three days" of John 2:19 end with the _seventh_ and final "day," the culmination of the Feast of Tabernacles, which is the "last day" in our passages above. Consider the phrase, "Everyone who looks on the Son."

Revelation 1:7 (ESV)  
7 Behold, **he is coming with the clouds** , **and** every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and **all tribes of the earth** will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

Matthew 24:30 (ESV)  
30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then **all the tribes of the earth** will mourn, and they will see **the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven** with power and great glory.

Do we see in these passages that great things are in store for humankind at large? "Everyone _who looks on the Son_ and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Know my friend that the Lord has decreed that "every eye will see Him" for "they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven." And how is it that they will see Him? Consider.

John 14:6-11 (NKJV)  
6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, **show us the Father** , and it is sufficient for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? **He who has seen Me has seen the Father** ; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own _authority_ ; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I _am_ in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

Ah, Philip, "He who has _seen_ Me has _seen_ the Father," for Jesus was "in the Father" and the Father was in Him. Do we not understand that to "see" Christ is to see Him in His people? Do we not realize that even as He is the "light of the world" (John 8:12), so too He ordained that we are the "light of the world" (Matt. 5:14)? While so many wait for a rapture where Christ appears in the clouds, the Word has determined that He will be seen in us (Rom. 8:19)! That being said, what do "clouds" signify? Consider.

Matthew 17:5 (NKJV)  
5 While he was still speaking, behold, **a bright cloud** overshadowed them; and suddenly **a voice came out of the cloud** , saying, " **This is My beloved Son** , in whom I am well pleased. **Hear Him**!"

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)  
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great **a cloud of witnesses** , let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

"A cloud of witnesses." Witnesses of whom or what? Of Christ, my friend, and of the kingdom of God (Rev. 11:3). For this reason, I don't believe the "clouds" of Revelation 1:7 and Matthew 24:30 are at all literal, but _symbolic of all who give a true testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel of the kingdom_ (Matt. 24:14).

Now, look at our phrase, "All tribes of the earth" in Revelation 1:7 and, "All the tribes of the earth" in Matthew 24:30. Tribes? As in "tribes" of Israel? I believe so, for our word "tribes" is defined as, "An _offshoot_ , i.e. _race_ or _clan_ ," used 31 times in the New Testament in reference to Israel. The most significant use of this word is found in Revelation, Chapter 7, in regard to the 144,000 who are taken from " _all the tribes_ of the children of Israel" (Rev. 7:4). This tells us that the purpose of God begins with His people as Peter stated in I Peter 4:17.

I believe that our three "days" in our illustration correlate with the "days," _plural_ , "of Noah" which Jesus described in Matthew, Chapter 24, and then reiterated and emphasized as the "parable from the fig tree" in Matthew 24:32. Let's consider this.

Close examination of the passages in Matthew, Chapter 24, show that Jesus summed up everything pertaining to the "sign" of His coming and "the end of the age" from verses 4 through 31. When we arrive at verses 32 through 36, the Lord then says, "Now _learn this parable from the fig tree_ : When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, _when you see all these things_ , know that it is near—even at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away _till all these things take place_. Heaven and earth will pass away, _but My words will by no means pass away_."

There are several key things to consider here. First, what did Jesus mean by "the fig tree"?

Genesis 3:6-7 (NKJV)  
6 So when the woman saw that the **tree** _was_ good for food, that it _was_ pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make _one_ wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they _were_ naked; and **they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings**.

These passages refer to the " _tree_ of the _knowledge_ of good and evil" (Gen. 2:9; 3:1-5), which is symbolic of the _law_ of God, for "by the _law_ is the _knowledge_ of sin (good and evil)" (Rom. 3:20). After eating from this "tree," we find that Adam and Eve's "eyes" were "opened," which speaks of _understanding_ (Eph. 1:18), "and they _knew_ that they were naked," which speaks of their _mortality_ and their awareness ( _knew_ ) of their need to be "swallowed up by life" (II Cor. 5:1-5). We then see that they "sewed _fig leaves_ together and made themselves coverings." This suggests that the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" or law of God is symbolized by a "fig tree."

Further confirmation is found in Mark, Chapter 11, where we find Jesus "cursing" a fig tree. When compared with Galatians, Chapter 3, verses 10 through 13, we will find that sewing fig leaves together and making coverings is a parabolic reference to the "works of the law" which are insufficient for our justification from sin, for "the just shall live by faith" (Gal. 3:11). So when Jesus said, "Now learn this parable from the fig tree," I believe He was referring to the _prophetic components and fulfilling of the law_ which is confirmed by the following.

Matthew 5:17-18 (NKJV)  
17 " **Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets**. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, **till heaven and earth pass away** , one jot or one tittle **will by no means pass from the law till all is** fulfilled.

Why did Jesus add "the Prophets" with the "Law"? Because the prophets declared the _prophetic components and work of the law_ as previously mentioned, so we have "the Law" _and_ "the Prophets"; the two go hand in hand. "I did not come to destroy the law but to _fulfill_." Is this not a seven? It is, and "till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle (smallest detail) _will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled_." Is this not also seven? It is.

"So you also, when you _see_ all these things," said Jesus. See what things? That which He explained in the previous passages pertaining to the sign of His coming and the end of the age (Matt. 24:3). Was He speaking literally? Yes, but He was also speaking figuratively, our word "see" being _Eidō_ which means, "To see (literal or figurative); by implication... to know." You see my friend (no pun intended), it is not enough for us to just think we understand these things. We must come to truly know them, which implies an intimacy that leads to a complete and unwavering confidence in the words which Jesus taught (Gen. 4:1; John 8:32). As Jesus made clear, "If anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (John 12:47-48). Why will His Word judge us? Because they are the words of our heavenly Father, divine, prophetic, living and powerful (John 12:49-50), the words of "everlasting life" which will not return to Him void but be fulfilled even as He has determined. "Heaven and earth will pass away" (Rev. 21:1), but His words "will by no means pass away."

Matthew 13:14-17 (NKJV)  
14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: **'Hearing you will hear and shall not** understand, **and seeing you will see and not perceive** ; 15 For the **hearts** of this people have grown dull. **Their ears are hard of hearing** , and **their eyes they have closed** , lest they should **see with their eyes** and **hear with their ears** , lest **they should understand with their hearts and** turn, so that I should heal them.' 16 "But **blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear** ; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men **desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it**.

"Hearing" and "seeing," awareness and understanding, and true understanding arises from the heart, from the depths of our spirit within. The "fullness of the time" in Jesus' day showed that the hearts of His people had "grown dull." The King James rendering is "waxed gross," meaning, "To thicken, i.e. (by implication) to fatten (figurative stupefy or render callous)." Is it any different in our day? Are we exempt from such a thing as this? I think not. How else do we explain what's happened to our society, the chaos and destruction, and what's happened to the church, its deception and misery? Do we really have a handle on things or do we just think we do?

# Chapter Seven

# THE DOORS

Matthew 24:32-33 (NKJV)  
32 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer _is_ near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near-- **at the doors**!

The "fig tree," indicative of the law and the prophets and the spiritual fulfillment thereof.

"At the doors," Jesus said. A bit of an odd statement until we bring this to the book of the Revelation. Consider.

Revelation 3:7-10 (NKJV)  
7 "And to the angel of the church in **Philadelphia** write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, _"_ _He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens_ _":_ (see Isa. 22:22) 8 I know your works. **See, I have set before you an** open door **, and no one can shut it** ; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 **Indeed I will make** _those_ **of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie** \--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, **I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world** , to test those who dwell on the earth.

This is the _sixth_ prophecy to the _sixth_ church, Philadelphia. The word "Philadelphia" means, " _Fond of brethren_." Also, note that Jesus did not rebuke this church.

Now, what is significant about the sixth church and prophecy? If we stay in keeping with our pattern in Genesis (and our illustration of the lampstand), it represents _the end of the work of Christ in the church_ , for on the seventh day God rested.

In our illustration of the lampstand, the _sixth_ branch aligns with the "Day of Atonement" and precedes the _seventh_ branch or "dividing of time." This being true, we find another "door" in the prophecy to the church in Laodicea.

Revelation 3:14-22 (NKJV)  
14 "And to the angel of the church of the **Laodiceans** write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, _that_ the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 **Behold, I stand at the** door **and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come** in to **him and dine with him, and he with Me**. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." ' "

Unlike Philadelphia, which means "fond of brethren," Laodicea and its context give us a different picture. Consider the following from J. Preston Eby and his Revelation series about the meaning of _Laodicea_.

It is interesting to note that the name Laodicea is composed of lao and dika, meaning "the people's judgment" or "consensus of opinion as to what is right!" Other variations of rendering are: "power of the laity," "the voice of the people," "the people's rights," or "justice of the peoples." Its name designates it as the democratic church, in which everything is swayed and decided by popular opinion, clamor, and voting, either within the church, or by adapting to the opinions, standards, and pressures of society without. Hence, Laodicea is a carnal, compromising, pusillanimous, self-righteous, and self-sufficient church!

In keeping with Eby's description of the Laodicean church we read, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked." Wouldn't our phrase "vomit you out of My mouth" coincide with the gathering "out of His kingdom" (Matt. 13:41), of the separation of the tares from the wheat and the goats from the sheep,? Wouldn't "those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie" in Philadelphia not be those who are spewed out in Laodicea? I believe so. Doesn't this also confirm that our seventh branch, the "half" or "dividing of time," is just what we have considered, i.e. a harvest where the bad is separated from the good?

Know too that to be vomited out of the mouth of Christ is to be removed from being an "oracle" or "an utterance of God" (I Peter 4:11). Instead, we become a mouthpiece of man and of his doctrines and traditions which make the Word of God of no effect (Mark 7:13).

Two "doors" my friend; an "open" door in Philadelphia but a "closed" one in Laodicea (Rev. 3:20). And what makes the difference? "Fond of brethren."

1 John 3:14 (NKJV)  
14 **We know that** we have passed from death to life, **because** we love the brethren. He who does not love _his_ brother abides in death.

Here you have it in its simplicity. "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren." This is Philadelphia.

When we understand that each prophecy unfolds, overlaps, and remains from beginning to end, then we should understand that Laodicea is an illustration of the _fullness_ and therefore the manifestation _of the other six churches and their prophecies_. It is a perfect picture of the church at the end of the age!

If we backtrack through the prophecies to each church, we will find that there was another church which received no rebuke and it was the second church of Smyrna. So out of six churches, we have _four_ which are admonished and _two_ which aren't. In essence, Laodicea is the culmination of the _four_ and the _two_ , the "cold" and the "hot," a _mixture_ of wheat _and_ tares, sheep _and_ goats. The spiritual meaning of our numbers _four_ and _two_ will confirm this. Let me share the spiritual meaning of _four_ from Stephen E. Jones (underlining and emphasis mine).

Four (daleth)

The Earth, Material Creation

Daleth is a door in Hebrew.

In biblical numerology, four is the number of the earth, or the material creation of God. On the fourth day of creation, the material world was finished (Gen. 1:14-19), thereby allowing God to furnish it with living creatures. The gematria of the Hebrew phrase, h'eretz, "the earth," is 296, which is 4 x 74.

There were also four great divisions of mankind represented by the cherubim (Ez. 1:5), or the four "beasts" around the throne (Rev. 4:6). These represent all creation.

Likewise, there are four gospels, each corresponding to a different "beast" around the throne. Matthew presents the Lion, saying, "Behold the King." Mark presents the Ox, saying, "Behold the Servant." Luke presents the Man, saying, "Behold the Son of Man." John presents the Eagle, saying, "Behold the Son of God."

In accordance with this also were four colors in the curtains of the Tabernacle of Moses. The purple proclaimed, "Behold your King." The scarlet proclaimed, "Behold the Servant." The white proclaimed, "Behold the Son of Man." The blue proclaimed, "Behold the Son of God."

In geometry, a four-sided square represents the earth, while a circle represents heaven, eternity, and the realm of spirit.

The fourth book of the Bible is the book of Numbers, whose Hebrew title is B'Midbar, "The Wilderness." The wilderness symbolically represents the earth. On the Day of Atonement, the second goat (Christ) was led into the wilderness by a "fit man" to remove sin from all the people (Lev. 16:10, 21). Thus, after His baptism on the Day of Atonement, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. This was to fulfill the law of the second goat.

At the end of Psalm 4, we find that it is "to the chief Musician upon Nehiloth," which means inheritances. It has to do with inheriting the earth (Matt. 5:5), beginning with our own "earth," our own "Canaan," our Promised Land, the glorified body. Yet before the righteous can inherit the earth, they must be trained and disciplined in the earth, often suffering to test their faith. Thus, Israel had to be tested in the wilderness (Ps. 95:8; Heb. 3:8) before they could inherit the land of Canaan.

What a precious understanding we find in the spiritual meaning of four! First, it speaks of a "door," agreeing with our current perspective. Secondly, it speaks of the "earth, or the material creation of God," _of you and me_ , i.e. "all creation." Finally, "The fourth book of the Bible is the book of Numbers, whose Hebrew title is B'Midbar, 'The Wilderness.' The wilderness symbolically represents the earth. On the Day of Atonement, the second goat (Christ) was led into the wilderness by a 'fit man' to remove sin from all the people (Lev. 16:10, 21). Thus, after His baptism on the Day of Atonement, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. This was to fulfill the law of the second goat."

As our illustration shows, the "Day of Atonement" is the _sixth_ branch which would also be indicative of the _sixth_ church of Philadelphia and the second "day" of our "times." Is it simply a coincidence that this corresponds to Christ's baptism at the Jordan River and His entrance into the "wilderness" where He overcomes the devil? And what was the most significant aspect of His baptism? Would it not be that God spoke and said, "This is _My beloved Son_ , in whom I am well pleased"? Now, let's take a moment to consider the spiritual meaning of _six_ from Stephen Jones (emphasis mine).

Six (vav)

Man

Vav is a nail or peg in Hebrew. It is also a conjunction ("and"), for it takes a nail to connect two things.

Six is the number of man, for man was created on the sixth day (Gen. 1:24-31). Man was also to labor for six days before entering into the Sabbath rest (Ex. 20:8-11), and the Hebrew slave was to serve for six years (Ex. 21:2).

Moses had to wait for six days before he was allowed to go up the mount to meet the Lord (Ex. 24:16-18). Even so, has man had to wait six thousand years to meet the Lord in the second coming of Christ.

Israel compassed the walls of Jericho for six days before the city fell on the seventh (Joshua 6:14, 15). This is a type of 6,000 years of labor in spiritual warfare before the world system falls.

In Daniel 3, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon erected an image of gold by which the gold standard was created. Verse 1 says that it was 60 cubits high and 6 cubits wide. The dimensions of this image are too thin to be the statue of a man. It was more likely something else with a gold object on the top or head. But it does speak of man's effort to establish a system of economic control by means of the worship of gold and money in general.

Hence, Paul writes in 1 Tim. 6:10 that "the love of money [greed] is the root of all evil." Also, the works of the flesh in Gal. 5:19-21 lists witchcraft as the sixth vice. Witchcraft is simply man's attempt to manipulate others against their will. For this reason, Saul's rebellion against God was "as the sin of witchcraft" (1 Sam. 15:23). What is not generally understood is that man's religion is largely a matter of doing rituals to manipulate one's god (or gods) into doing things that are beneficial to them.

Such a view proceeds from the assumption that God does not want to do what man thinks He ought to do. Thus, men set out to change His mind, either by bribery, appeasement, or even by going "on strike." Saul was a type of Pentecostal, being crowned on Pentecost, the day of wheat harvest (1 Sam. 12:17). Thus, he serves as a type of the leavened Church that often operates unknowingly by a spirit of witchcraft today.

Psalm 6 describes the voice of all the martyrs beginning with Abel. Yet the oppressed condition of the martyrs is only part of the general condition of all oppressed men in the earth. It is the condition of all men since Adam who labor six "days" in bondage to sin.

Six, the "number of man" but also "a nail or peg in Hebrew." I immediately think of the Lord's death for man-kind, which in reality took place at the Jordan River _before_ it took place at the cross, Christ becoming the "atonement" for all, laying down His life in order to fulfill His Father's will in all things. This, my friend, _is the spirit of the Philadelphian church_ , the "hot" in the midst of the "cold."

Four, a _door_. Six, _man_. What about our number _two_?

Two (beth)

Division, Double Witness

**Beth** is a house or household in Hebrew. God established the household with Adam and Eve, two people in a marriage. This provided direction, a double witness in the family to know the will of God. It takes two points to make a line and establish direction.

The number two signifies either _division_ or a _double witness_. God established two covenants in the Bible, first as a double witness of truth, but also to establish direction. Going from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant shows a progression of revelation from the lesser to the greater.

This same principle is found with Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, with Jacob and Israel, with David and Saul, and (in the New Testament) in the contrast between Saul and Paul. In each case, there is division with a resulting conflict between the two characters, yet also God establishes the pattern of moving from one point to another.

Two is "division" as well as a "double witness." So in our six churches, we have _two_ churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia _divided_ from the other four churches and a _double_ _witness_ against them.

Jones tells us, "Beth is a house or household in Hebrew." Please consider.

1 Peter 4:17-18 (ESV)  
17 For **it is time for judgment** to begin at the **household** of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"

"Times." Is this not a _two_ (B to C, C to D) or _two_ "days"? It is. So we find in our _two_ the necessity of the judgment of God in the church in order for her to be a _witness_ (Eph. 5:25-27).

Hebrews 12:5-6 (ESV)  
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as **sons**? "My **son** , do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For **the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and** chastises every son **whom he receives**."

Christ was the pattern son, "the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14; KJV). In Him we see the spiritual fulfillment of all the Feasts of Israel, Passover to Tabernacles, setting the example for other "sons" to follow (Heb. 2:10, 18). He was both the "Son of Man" and the "Son of God," a "double witness of truth" to establish direction, to reveal the path to the kingdom of God. And within the seven churches of Revelation, He remains in the midst, fulfilling every detail of the law and the prophets until all is fulfilled. As I close this chapter, let me share with you the following illustration.

There is much to be considered in this illustration, but I will leave that for your own study. (You can find more about this diagram in my study, "Hell, No! An Alternative View of Hell"). Just remember that Laodicea denotes the "fullness" or "manifestation" of the other six churches together as shown but "at the time of harvest" or "dividing of time," He will gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into His barn (Matt. 13:30). "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" (Matt. 13:43)

# Chapter Eight

# SON OF MAN

Ephesians 1:10 (NKJV)  
10 ... that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times **He might gather together in one** all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.

Our passage from the New King James is somewhat different in other versions of scripture. Let's look at a couple of them.

Ephesians 1:9-10 (NIV)  
9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 **to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ**.

Ephesians 1:9-10 (AMP)  
9 Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed _and_ set forth in Him, 10 **[He planned] for the maturity of the times** _and_ **the climax of the ages to unify all things** _and_ **head them up** _and_ **consummate them in Christ, [both] things in heaven and things on the earth**.

Remember, our word "dispensation" is defined as, " _Administration_ (of a household or estate)," and Dictionary.com defines "administrate" as, "To manage or direct (the affairs of a business, institution, etc.)." And who is acting in this capacity? Is it not the Lord? Is He not the one who gave the prophecies to John and remains in the midst of the churches, bringing each to pass as He has declared? So it is indeed critical for us to have "ears to hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).

What do we find after the Lord tells John to write to the angel of each church? We find a clear description of the Christ Himself; different aspects of the Lord brought to light in each church. Each of these characteristics is first given to John in Revelation, Chapter 1, verses 10 through 17. Before we consider this, let's look at the following.

Revelation 1:10-13 (NKJV)  
10 I was **in the Spirit** on the **Lord's Day** , and **I heard behind me** a **loud voice** , as of a trumpet, 11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send _it_ to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." 12 **Then I turned** to see the voice that spoke with me. And **having turned** I saw **seven golden lampstands** , 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands _One_ like **the Son of Man** ...

John tells us, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" and, "I heard behind me a _loud voice_." This is not a weak or timid "voice," but a voice of _great authority_ and _power_ , of _clarity_ and _conviction_. And the "Lord's Day"? "Day" is "light" (Gen. 1:5), the manifestation of God's righteous Word in the earth, and as this study suggests, there are three such "days" to consider in the Feast of Tabernacles. So, which "day" is John referring to? I believe it is the _third_ and _final_ "day of the Lord," Tabernacles proper, illustrated by our seventh branch. Why do I say this? Because John tells us, " _I heard behind me_ a loud voice, as of a trumpet" and " _then I turned_ to see the voice" and " _having turned_ I saw seven golden lampstands." Why did John have to turn? Because the Lord had brought John by the Spirit to this third and final day of the Lord, _to the conclusion of the matter_ , in order to show him what led up to it. This agrees with Isaiah, Chapter 46, verse 10, where we read, "Declaring _the end from the beginning_ , and from ancient times _the things that are not yet done_ , saying, _My counsel shall stand_ , and I will do all my pleasure" (KJV). You see my friend, that is the nature of prophecy. Once God speaks, it is as good as done. It may take a week, a month, or a thousand years for it to be fulfilled, but rest assured, it _will_ come to pass and His counsel _shall_ stand.

So what is the first thing the Lord says to John? "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia." Yes, these were literal churches in John's day but I don't believe anyone would disagree with me when I say that the visions of the book of the Revelation were meant for all of His people through the end of this age.

Finally, once John turns he sees "One like the Son of Man." The "Son of Man" and not the Son of God? Yes, the Word is specific.

Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJV)  
4 But when **the fullness of the time** had come, **God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,** 5 **to redeem those who were under the law** , that we might receive the adoption as sons.

What does the phrase "Son of Man" suggest? First of all, it speaks of Christ's _humanity_. Just as we "have partaken of flesh and blood, _He Himself likewise shared in the same_ " (Heb. 2:14). Secondly, because it does refer to His humanity, it speaks of the fact that He was "born of a woman, _born under the law_ " in order "to redeem those who were _under the law_." And how is He accomplishing this redemption? By fulfilling every "jot and tittle" of the law until "all is fulfilled" (Matt. 5:17-18).

Every reference to the "Son of Man" is a reference to Christ in _His_ humanity and in humanity and is always connected to the "Law and the Prophets" (Matt. 5:17), to the spiritual working and fulfillment of the law which was first delivered to Moses and Israel so long ago. The Lord Jesus Christ is both "Son of Man" and "Son of God," bringing together the natural _and_ spiritual, the "type" _and_ "antitype" (fulfillment), the human _and_ divine.

There are 88 references to the "Son of Man" in the King James Bible. This is _two eights_ , a "double witness" (2) of a "new beginning" (8; Jones; Bullinger; Vallowe). Add our two eights together and you have _sixteen_ , the number of "love" (Jones; Vallowe).

Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV)  
36 "Teacher, which _is_ the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, " _'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'_ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: _'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'_ 40 **On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets**."

"On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Need I say more?

# Chapter Nine

# AMEN

Earlier, we spoke of the fact that the Lord tells John to write to the angel of each church then follows with a different aspect of His characterization as noted in the following passages. When we go through them, we will find that each characteristic was given in John's vision in Revelation, Chapter 1, verses 10 through 20.

Revelation 2:1 (NKJV)  
1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, **'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands** ...

See Revelation 1:12, 13, and 20.

Revelation 2:8 (NKJV)  
8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, **'These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life** ...

See Revelation 1:17.

Revelation 2:12 (NKJV)  
12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, **'These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword** ...

See Revelation 1:16.

Revelation 2:18 (NKJV)  
18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, **'These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass** ...

See Revelation 1:15.

Revelation 3:1 (NKJV)  
1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, **'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars** ...

See Revelation 1:16, 20; (Also Revelation 1:4).

Revelation 3:7 (NKJV)  
7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, **'These things says He who is holy, He who is true,** _"He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one_ shuts, _and shuts and no one opens_ _"..._ (Isa. 22:22).

When we arrive at the sixth church, we have a change in presentation. John mentions "He who is holy, He who is true." This is not a reiteration of the aspects of Revelation, Chapter 1. Rather, it is a statement of the Lord's position at the throne of God (holy) and the immutability of the living Word of God, the authority of Christ by means of the "sharp two-edged sword" (true). The quote is from Isaiah 22:22 which points to the "open door" which follows in verse 8.

It should be apparent that in the first five churches, all the aspects of Christ are mentioned, but in the sixth church, a change takes place and we come to the first of our two "doors" (Matt. 24:33). This confirms our understanding that the sixth church is the end of the matter and aligns with the "Day of Atonement," while the seventh is the fullness or manifestation that follows after.

I believe the spiritual aspects of the "Day of Atonement" represents _those who overcome_ in each church, who _lay down their lives_ for the brethren, even as Christ did at the Jordan River (Obad. 1:21; Rev. 14:1). It speaks of those "sons" who are "faithful until death" and receive "the crown of life" and are "not hurt by the second death" as typified by Smyrna (Rev. 2:10-11). Consider the following from J. Preston Eby and his Revelation series (bolding and emphasis mine).

Of the seven churches, two of them received no indictment from the Lord, nor were they told to repent. The church in Smyrna was known as the "suffering church" because of their severe persecutions, and they were not told to repent. The Lord saw their trouble and tribulation, their poverty and imprisonment, their unswerving steadfastness and great faithfulness, and they did not need to be told to repent. It was in their hearts to repent when the need arose, for the work of God ran deep in their lives. Considering all they would suffer, the Lord said to them, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev. 2:10). Another church against which the Lord laid no charge, nor did He tell them to repent, was the church in Philadelphia. The Lord saw that they kept His word and had not denied His name, or nature. Because they kept the word of His patience, by which the kingdom of God is inherited, He gave them wonderful promises.

It is my conviction that these two churches, the church in Smyrna and the church in Philadelphia, represent the Lord's elect and chosen remnant in the earth throughout the church age. They also correspond to the two witnesses of chapter eleven of the Revelation. We know that a candlestick represents a church. There are two churches out of the seven that received no condemnation or reproof from the Lord, and were given only great and precious promises. Of the two witnesses it is testified, "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth" (Rev. 11:3-4). Two candlesticks! Two churches! Two given a special standing before God! Ah, Smyrna and Philadelphia, what a calling you have!

I agree with brother Eby that the "two witnesses" of Revelation, Chapter 11, signify our two churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia. I also believe that our two churches are represented by the " _two horns_ like a lamb" seen on the "beast coming up out of the earth," while our phrase "spoke like a dragon" represents the other four churches (Rev. 13:11; see our previous illustration in Chapter 7). We should also note that our "thousand two hundred and threescore days" (1,260) aligns with our "time and times and half a time."

Revelation 3:14 (NKJV)  
14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, **'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God** ...

Here we go. The seventh is not something new or different from the first six churches but the manifestation or fullness of the six churches themselves. "These things says the Amen." Our word "Amen" is defined by Strong's as, "Of Hebrew origin [<H543> ('amen)]; properly _firm_ , i.e. (figurative) _trustworthy_ ; adverb _surely_ (often as interjection _so be it_ )." H543 reads, "From <H539> ('aman); _sure_ ; abstract _faithfulness_ ; adverb _truly_." Finally, H539 reads, "A primitive root; properly to _build up_ or _support_ ; to _foster_ as a parent or nurse; figurative to _render_ (or _be_ ) _firm_ or faithful, to _trust_ or believe, to be _permanent_ or quiet; moral to _be true_ or certain; once (Isa. 30:21; by interchange for <H541> ('aman)) to _go to the right hand_ _)_."

What does our interjection "amen" signify? "So be it," surety, "to be true or certain." The prophecies were declared and their fulfillment is sure and the fullness as indicated by the seventh church will be evident in its time. Again, this shows the immutability of the words of Christ, for when we take a raw and honest look at the present condition of Christianity today, we see the "lukewarm" condition of Laodicea, the mixture of hot and cold, sheep and goats, wheat and tares, good and bad. It is as He said it would be. The prophecies to the seven churches have unfolded before us just as He predicted but we must have the humility to receive it, to have ears to "hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 3:22).

Do you see the final remark from Strong's? "To go to the right hand"? Would this agree with our Parable of the Sheep and the Goats? I believe it would.

# Chapter Ten

# ABOMINATION

Ephesians 1:9-10 (NKJV)  
9... having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times **He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him**.

From seed to seedling, from seedling to sapling, from sapling to a mature tree. Once maturity is reached, fruit is produced. So it is that the "fullness" of the times speaks of the "seed" of the living Word which has reached maturity or fulfillment, resulting in the tree and its fruit.

Once the fullness of the time was reached in Jesus' day, we find John the Baptist stating the following to the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 3:7-10 (NKJV)  
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 **Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance** , 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as _our_ father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 **And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire**.

In the same way that our Parable of the Sheep and the Goats and the Parable of the Tares speaks of the fullness of our "times," so too had Israel reached theirs in John's day. For this reason John the Baptist made it clear to the Pharisees and Sadducees that "even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Though the Lord's coming to the Jews was a glorious thing indeed, for many it brought judgment.

Matthew 25:41 (NKJV)  
41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, **into the everlasting fire** prepared for the devil and his angels...

Matthew 13:40-42 (NKJV)  
40 Therefore **as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire** , so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and **will cast them into the furnace of fire**. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Just as Jesus "cut down" and threw "every tree" which failed to produce good fruit "into the fire" during the "fullness of the time," so too the same is predicted for the end of this age, the "fullness of the times." As I mentioned earlier in this study, the "bad tree" and its "bad fruit" denotes the "works of the flesh" which Paul listed in Galatians, Chapter 5, verses 19 through 21, while the "good tree" and its "good fruit" speaks of the "fruit of the Spirit" in verses 22 through 23. The "bad fruit" is a product of our own will and desire while the "good fruit" is a product of His will and desire. So, it is the "fruit" of His Spirit, not ours, that must become evident. The "fullness" of the "bad tree" and "fruit" is described by the Lord in Matthew, Chapter 23, and is also illustrated in Revelation, Chapter 17.

Revelation 17:9-11 (ESV)  
9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the **seven** heads are **seven** mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also **seven** kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, **and when he does come he must remain only a little while**. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, **it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven** , and it goes to destruction.

The English Standard Version of scripture renders our passages from Revelation correctly, showing that the beast which rises out of the sea that is first shown in Revelation, Chapter 13, has "seven heads" which are "seven mountains" which are also "seven kings." "Mountains" denote kingdoms or governments (Psalms 72:3; 87:1; Isa. 2:2; Rev. 14:1) whereas "kings" speak of those who reign over them, however, I don't believe these seven heads speak of seven literal kings and kingdoms. In previous studies, I have described them as representing the "six things" which the Lord hates, the seventh or fullness which is "an abomination to Him," outlined for us in Proverbs, Chapter 6, verses 17 through 19. They are not kingdoms in a literal sense, but a revelation of the spirit of error which works in all of us, revealing the nature of the natural/carnal man in everyone, that which Paul called the "old man" in Romans 6:6 and the "man of sin" in II Thessalonians 2:3.

In John's day, he was told that "five" of the kings had "fallen," while "one is" and "the other is not yet come." This shows that the six were present in John's day but the fullness was not. Our phrase "the other has not yet come," speaks to this fullness or manifestation outlined in Proverbs, Chapter 6, which was yet to be fully manifest.

"And when he does come he must remain only a little while" (short space; KJV). This points to Revelation 12:12, where we read, "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." In other words, once fullness is reached, it will only last for a brief period in accordance with what the Lord has spoken.

"As for the beast that was and is not," this speaks of the beast which comes up out of the earth in Revelation, Chapter 13, verses 11 through 18. This entity is clearly labeled a "false prophet" (collectively speaking; Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10) which encapsulates the religious "spirit of error" which John wrote about in I John 4:6. This, my friend, is the "spirit of antichrist" which issues from the false prophets who are "of the world" and "therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them" (I John 4:5). "It is an eighth" beast, separate from the beast of the sea, "but it belongs to the seven" because false prophets function out of the same spirit of error as the world does. They seek the approval of the worldly and the worldly give them that approval (Luke 6:26).

Romans 9:25-28 (NKJV)  
25 As He says also in Hosea: "I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved." (Hosea 2:23) 26 "And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not My people,' there they shall be called sons of the living God." (Hosea 1:10) 27 Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, **the remnant will be saved**. 28 For He will **finish the work** and **cut it short in righteousness** , because **the Lord will make a short work upon the earth** " (Isaiah 10:22-23).

"A short work upon the earth." I believe this aligns with our "little while" in Revelation 17:10 and "short time" in Revelation 12:12.

"He will _finish_ the work." Does this correlate with our _seven_ or _fullness_? I believe so.

Matthew 24:15-28 (ESV)  
15 "So **when you see the abomination of desolation** spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 **For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be**. 22 **And if those days had not been** cut short **, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the** elect **those days will be** cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, **even the elect**. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

If we pay close attention to the passages in Matthew, Chapter 24, we will find that Christ summarized everything pertaining to the sign of His coming and the end of the age in verses 4 through 14, finishing with, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." He then follows with our passage above, stating, "So." The New King James renders "so" as "therefore." Both are connectors, referring back to what Jesus had just summarized.

"So when you see _the abomination of desolation_ spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place." The "holy place" refers to the Tabernacle of Witness (Moses) and the room which preceded the Most Holy Place where the Ark of the Covenant was placed. This designation denotes the priests or ministers who were required by the law to minister therein (Exod. 28:40-43; 29:30; 31:10-11; 35:19; Lev. 6:14-18). Today, this speaks of any and all who minister the Word of God to the people.

" _Abomination_ of _desolation_." When compared with Proverbs 6, verses 16 and 19, we find that "seven" or _fullness_ is "an _abomination_ to him," which is "one who sows discord among brothers" (ESV). Would this be what Jesus meant when He quoted Daniel? I believe it is. Did Jesus experience this "abomination" in His time? He did, and He outlines very clearly what this abomination is in Matthew, Chapter 23, speaking of the scribes and Pharisees who sat "in Moses' seat" (Matt. 23:2), ending His admonition with, "See! Your house is left to you _desolate_ " (Matt. 23:38) (Author's Note: If you wish to know more about this "abomination," I encourage you to read the entire chapter). This corresponds with the Lord's teaching concerning the "days of Noah" in Matthew, Chapter 24, where He ends with "and will _cut him in two_ (divide or separate) and _appoint him his portion with the hypocrites_. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt. 24:51). This shows that a "portion with the hypocrites" equates to the "everlasting fire" and "everlasting punishment" in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats and the "furnace of fire" in the Parable of the Tares. This simply means to be on the "left hand" of God and remain under the works of the law (wrath of God; Rom. 4:15) which are necessary to bring us to Christ (Rom. 10:4).

When we bring all of this together, the "fullness of the times" is clearly represented by Laodicea, a mixture of hot and cold, of true and false, of the righteous and the hypocrites, and the corresponding manifestation is sowing "discord among brothers." Let's take a moment to consider what this means in the next chapter, but before we do, let me share some final thoughts with you about our "abomination" and some interesting numbers which are found in the book of Daniel.

Daniel 12:5-13 (NKJV)  
5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And _one_ said to the man clothed in linen, who _was_ above the waters of the river, " **How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders** _be?_ _"_ 7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who _was_ above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that _it shall be_ **for a time, times, and half** _a time_ _;_ and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, **all these** _things_ **shall be finished**. 8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, " **My lord, what** _shall be_ **the end of these** _things?_ _"_ 9 And he said, "Go _your way,_ Daniel, for the words _are_ closed up and **sealed** till **the time of the end**. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. 11 **And from the time** _that_ **the daily** _sacrifice_ **is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up,** _there shall be_ **one thousand two hundred and ninety days**. 12 **Blessed** _is_ **he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days**. 13 But you, go _your way_ till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance **at the end of the days**."

In the book of the Revelation, we are given a time span of 1,260 days. Remember, this is "time, times, and half a time," so it corresponds with Daniel, Chapter 12, verses 5 through 7. In the next verse, Daniel asks, "O my lord, _what shall be the end_ of these things?" It is then that he is given a timespan of "one thousand two hundred and ninety days" (1,290).

First of all, if we add our numbers together in 1,260, we have _nine_ , the number of "visitation" and "judgment" (Jones). When we add our numbers in 1,290, we have _twelve_ , the number of "governmental perfection and divine authority" (Jones; Bullinger; Vallowe). Now, when we subtract 1,260 from 1,290, we have _thirty_. Please consider.

Revelation 8:1 (NKJV)  
1 When He opened the **seventh seal** , there was silence in heaven for about **half an hour**.

Thirty is "half an hour," is it not? And "half an hour" is "half a time." So does our "silence in heaven" correspond? It appears that way. And why "silence in heaven"? Because again, all that needed to be said has been said and it is simply a matter of God's prophetic Word coming to pass as declared by the Lord in the prophecies to the churches. Note that it is the " _seventh_ seal" which is opened, denoting what happens once _fullness_ is reached.

Now, our number _thirty_ has a precious spiritual significance. Consider the following from Stephen E. Jones.

Thirty (lamed)

Dedication for Rulership

The number thirty in Hebrew was written as the letter lamed, which is literally an ox goad or staff. Thus, it was a symbol of authority, leadership, or rulership.

Thirty is the number of dedication for rulership. It was the age which God established as the age of rulership for priests (Num. 4:23). Joseph was elevated to power at the age of 30, as we read in Genesis 41:46,

46 Now Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt.

David was also thirty when he became king, as we read in 2 Sam. 5:4,

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

The fact that Judas essentially sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:15; Zech. 11:12, 13) indicates that Judas presumed to take authority over Jesus. Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a slave, and so Judas was acting as if he was the ruler and Jesus was his slave. This is also the central point of the law in Ex. 21:32,

32 If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Again, thirty is the price of a slave in this case.

The length of each curtain over the tabernacle of Moses was thirty cubits (Ex. 36:15). The curtains are the covering of God over the tabernacle and signify God's rulership and covering over the true temple, which is the Church.

In Biblical Mathematics, Ed Vallowe says that the number thirty signifies "the blood of Christ . . . dedication." He bases this view on the fact that the number is often linked to the idea of sacrifice. But his view is too restricted, because the Hebrew letter, lamed, is clearly about authority or rulership. The idea of dedication to rulership, however, combines the ideas and shows their connection.

The 30th time that Noah's name appears is found in Gen. 8:20, where Noah built a sacrifice after departing from the ark.

The 30th time that Isaac's name appears is found in Gen. 25:21, where Rebecca conceives and brings forth twins, Jacob and Esau. In verse 23 we find the prophecy that Jacob would rule over Esau.

The 30th time that Jacob's name appears is found in Gen. 28:10, where he went from Beer-sheba to Haran. In the next verses (before his name appears again in verse 16), we read that God appeared to him in a dream at Bethel and confirmed the covenant with him. He was given authority or rulership in all directions, and even the purpose of rulership is given in verse 14: "in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

The 30th time the name Joshua appears is in Joshua 1:16. He has just given the people instruction about leaving the wilderness and entering the Promised Land, and now we read,

16 And they answered Joshua, saying, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go."

Essentially, they were dedicating themselves to divine service by this vow.

The 30th time that Jesus' name is mentioned in the book of Matthew (9:2), he says to the man being healed of palsy, "Take courage, my son, your sins are forgiven." Jesus was manifesting his authority to forgive sin as well as to heal, and this immediately caused controversy among the scribes, who thought he was blaspheming. However, Jesus responded in verse 5,

5 For which is easier, to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Rise up and walk"?

Jesus was demonstrating His power or authority as the Messiah and as King of creation, as the number thirty indicates.

We have spoken about fullness in light of sin and unrighteousness, but there is another side to this fullness which is even more significant. It is those who are found on the "right hand" of God, the true "sheep" of the Lord as opposed to those who are not. They are those who "inherit the kingdom" (Matt. 25:34). This being the case, we see in our number _thirty_ that there will be those who will rule and reign with Christ as promised to those who overcome in the seven churches, especially so in Laodicea (Rev. 3:21).

There is another number to consider and that is the "one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days" (1,335). When we add these numbers, we arrive at the number _twelve_ just as we did with 1,290. This gives us _two_ twelves, a "double witness" of the "divine government" of God in the affairs of men. When we subtract 1,290 from 1,335, we have _forty-five_. Consider its spiritual meaning from Ed Vallowe.

FORTY-FIVE seems to mean PRESERVATION. This number is found only a few times in the Bible but each time it reveals the power of God in preserving His saints.

In Genesis 18:28, when God is getting ready to destroy the wicked city of Sodom you will remember that Abraham interceded before God for the city. Note the scriptures in Genesis 18:23-33,

"Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there FORTY and FIVE, I will not destroy it."

You will note that God said he would preserve the city if there were FIFTY, FORTY-FIVE, FORTY, THIRTY, TWENTY, or TEN righteous people in the city.

FIFTY is the number of the Holy Spirit. God is willing through His Spirit to show mercy on the righteous; FORTY is the number of TESTING. The city is being tested. THIRTY is the number of the BLOOD and the HIGH PRIEST who offers the sacrifice upon the altar and who intercedes on the behalf of his people. TWENTY is the number of REDEMPTION that shall come if righteousness is found and TEN is the number of TESTIMONY, a testimony that shall be borne if TEN righteous are found.

All the numbers mentioned are even numbers save FORTY-FIVE. Here is PRESERVATION in the midst of sin.

In Joshua 14:10 the Bible says,

"And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these FORTY and FIVE years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I _am_ this day fourscore and five years old."

God always keeps His Word with men. It would have been impossible for Caleb to die in all the past FORTY-FIVE years, by warfare or otherwise, since God had given him His word that he would live to inherit the place where he went as a spy (Numbers 14:24).

God has preserved many men in times past because He gave His word, and He is yet to do this in the future, especially with the TWO witnesses who cannot die until they have finished their testimony (Revelation 11:3-11). Thus we see that FORTY-FIVE is the number of PRESERVATION.

Brother and sister, do we not see in all of this the immutability of God's divine Word in the earth and what He has purposed for the end of the age? What did our Lord Jesus finish with concerning the end?

Matthew 24:14 (ESV)  
14 And **this gospel of the kingdom** will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a **testimony** to all nations, and then the end will come.

May I be so bold as to say that there is but one "gospel of the kingdom" and but one "testimony" as to its efficacy? And what is this testimony? It is the "power and great glory" of which Jesus spoke in Matthew 24:30.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (KJV)  
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, **but in** demonstration **of the Spirit and of power** : 5 That **your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God**.

In direct contrast to our passages above, compare II Timothy, Chapter 3, verses 1 through 5.

# Chapter Eleven

# SOWING DISCORD

Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV)  
16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and **one who sows discord among brothers**.

Sowing discord. Our word "discord" means, "A contest or quarrel," indicative of strife and contention. Consider Paul's words.

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (NKJV)  
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, **that you all speak the same thing, and** _that_ **there be no divisions among you, but** _that_ **you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment**. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's _household,_ that **there are contentions among you**. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

It is apparent that even in Paul's day there arose contentions among the believers due to the fact that some said, "I am of Paul," while others, "I am of Apollos" or "Cephas" (Peter) or "Christ." Paul's response? "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?" And what did Paul plead? "That you all speak the same thing, and that _there be no divisions among you_ , but that you be _perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment_." A little further in his letter, Paul explains his concern.

1 Corinthians 3:1-7 (ESV)  
1 **But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ**. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 **for you are still of the flesh**. **For while there** is **jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way**? 4 **For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human**? 5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 **I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth**. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, **but only God who gives the growth**.

Discord is fleshly, human, unspiritual, immature, and brings division; of this we can be certain, yet, the body of Christ is divided, just like so many other religions of the world. Ah, but the Word of God said we would be. It was prophesied before it happened because the Lord knows the hearts of men.

Is it any different today when we say, "I am of Martin Luther" (Lutheran), or "I am of John Wesley" (Methodist) or "I am of John Smyth (Baptist)," I am a "Pentecostal," or "Charismatic"? No, it is not. Say what you will, but the division of the body of Christ testifies against us, showing that we are holding to our fleshly and immature ways instead of seeking the higher path to the kingdom of God.

One of the most ludicrous things to ever arise among Christendom is the idea that the Bible can be interpreted differently by each of us. We all seek the same Lord, don't we? I'll say it again. It's ludicrous! Think about it! If this is true, then truth is not truth but simply opinions, for opinions can change. Truth cannot and does not change!

So why do so many think that there can be more than one interpretation? Because they do not recognize, as Paul did, that we are being "people in the flesh, as infants in Christ." We're "behaving in only a human way," not in a spiritual capacity. Friend, our division and resulting disagreement in scripture is not a problem of scripture, _but of fleshly arrogance_ , and it is _in us_ where the problem lies. That's why John called it a " _spirit_ of _error_ " (I John 4:6).

The essence of truth is that it stands on its own regardless of our own opinions or assumptions. It is not truth because we agree, it is truth whether we agree or not.

Do we wish to understand the truth? Then we must seek to be delivered from the spirit of error of which John wrote. And what defines the spirit of error? The same thing that defines the "spirit of the world" (I Cor. 2:12) and that is _pride_. For this reason, our attributes listed in Proverbs, Chapter 6, begins with "haughty eyes."

Psalms 10:4 (NIV)  
4 **In his pride the wicked does not seek him** ; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

Proverbs 13:10 (NKJV)  
10 **By pride comes nothing but strife** , but with the well-advised _is_ wisdom.

As Proverbs shows, it is pride which brings strife (contention). What do we mean by pride? Paul tells us.

Romans 12:3 (NKJV)  
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not **to think** _of himself_ **more highly than he ought to think** , but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

The Bible definition of pride is to think more highly of ourselves than we should. This is not a one time act, _but an ongoing attitude_ , a mindset of resistance that stands against the voice of spiritual reason. Jesus described this condition in the following.

Matthew 13:14-15 (NKJV)  
14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For **the hearts of this people have grown dull**. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.'

Pride issues from our heart or spirit, thus the reason we read that "pride goes before destruction, and a _haughty spirit_ before a fall" (Prov. 16:18). When left unchecked, pride becomes _arrogance_ , a _heightened sense of self-importance_ that can only end in calamity. It is the spirit behind so many of the collectives that exist in our time, the driving force that leads to their boldness in proclaiming their message, regardless of its effect on future generations. This, my friend, is what is meant by sowing discord.

Just like a seed which is planted in the ground, knowledge is sown into the mind, which is the pathway to the heart or spirit. Jesus taught this in the Parable of the Sower. Knowledge can be defined as anything we "know" or believe to be the truth, and it is here where error begins. "Bad fruit" contains bad seed and it will not be otherwise (Luke 6:43). Much of what we believe today is not a product of truth, but of long-standing mindsets that exist simply because of the ignorance of the collectives. This ignorance is often just that, _a lack of knowledge_ , however, there is also a _willful_ and _forced_ ignorance that wins us over simply due to the fact that we are unwilling to question or challenge what is presented to us. We've thought and spoken this way for so long that no one takes time to think that it could be in error. This speaks to the naiveté of the worldly and religious collectives which surround us, of those whose allegiance to these collectives transcends the voice of reason because again, _they are unwilling_ to examine their beliefs. At this point, they have "grown dull" (Matt. 13:15) and are incapable of hearing and seeing another point of view. And whether we like to admit it or not, Christianity is no exception, for this was the condition of most in Jesus' time and the condition of the Laodicean church in Revelation. We "do not know" that we are "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). The spirit of error has been embraced as the Spirit of truth.

Mahatma Gandhi said, "Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self-sustained." He also said, "Morality is the basis of things and truth is the substance of all morality." This is what Jesus taught and exemplified in His life, and it is this to which we should aspire.

Remember, "fullness" speaks of the "fruit" of a tree wherein is found the "seeds" to start the process over again. Ah, but there isn't just one seed like that which we started with, but many more seeds; we go from _one_ to _many_. This is known as the exponential function which means to rise or expand at a steady and usually rapid rate. The result? One becomes a collective and the collective becomes the power of the one.

I found it interesting that the word "denomination" is taken from the word "denominate." This simply means, "To give a name to; denote; designate." And what is a denomination? It is a collective which has designated a particular person or persons and their beliefs as their own. This is not necessarily a bad thing until it leads to rejecting all others simply for the name's sake. Sadly, many today belong to denominations, not because they understand the scriptures, _but because they don't_. They are content with the status quo of their religion and have no desire to question what they have been taught to believe.

Paul told the Corinthian believers, "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, _that you all speak the same thing_ , and that _there be no divisions among you_ , but that you be _perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment_ " (I Cor. 1:10). No doubt, Paul stressed unity for the Corinthian believers, but true unity can only be attained by a spirit of humility. Without it, truth will be sacrificed at the altar of ego.

Proverbs 16:19 (NKJV)  
19 Better _to be_ of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Micah 6:8 (ESV)  
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Let's face it, brothers and sisters. We don't know and understand nearly as much as we think we do. Due to the strength of tradition, we have strayed further and further from the "faith that was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3; ESV). As a result, we have devised doctrines laced with arrogance and self-righteousness; teachings which demean the character of our Maker and His Son. We have "two horns like a lamb" but we speak "like a dragon" (Rev. 13:11), but rest assured that a separation will take place, for the Word has declared it.

# Chapter Twelve

# GATHER TOGETHER IN ONE

Ephesians 1:10 (NKJV)  
10 ... that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times **He might gather together in one all things in Christ** , both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.

Humility should not be confused with timidity. Dictionary.com defines "humility" as, "The quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc." As we see, this is the exact opposite of pride. "Timidity" is defined as, "Lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed; timorous; shy" and, "Characterized by or indicating fear." Friend, the Lord does not wish for us to be _timid_ but _humble_.

2 Timothy 1:7-9 (ESV)  
7 ... **for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control**. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, **not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began** ...

Paul wrote, "He might gather together in one all things in Christ." Who gathers together in one? The Lord does, not we ourselves, for it is "not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace" that all of this is assured. Humility is, therefore, our ability to acknowledge this and align ourselves with His purpose.

"One" denotes unity, and unity cannot be achieved by man. Though it may appear so on the surface, one need not look very far below it to find the cracks. This should be apparent to all who take time to watch the news. Unity? Shaky at best, rising and collapsing on a regular basis, in both the secular and religious realms of our society.

History shows that man's attempt at unity has never lasted long at all. How many kingdoms and governments have risen only to fall? How many collectives have come and gone? How many ideologies have failed to bring any lasting value to society? But we keep trying, don't we? Ah, but know my friend that there will be no true unity until there is humility, until we understand that despite how things appear, we have never been in control of any of this. "Every good gift and every perfect gift _is from above_ , and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17). God alone can give _what_ is needed _when_ it is needed.

Paul told the Corinthian believers, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, _but then face to face_. Now I know in part, _but then I shall know just as I also am known_ " (I Cor. 13:11-12). Furthermore, "For we _know_ in part and we prophesy in part. But when _that which is perfect_ has come, then that which is in part will be done away" (I Cor. 13:9-10). And what was Paul referring to as "perfect" (complete)? Charity, divine love, _agape_ love (I Cor. 13:1-8). This, my friend, is the Spirit _of_ truth, the Spirit behind the truth, the Spirit _that testifies_ of _truth_. Know that charity is based in humility. Without it, we are just "sounding brass or a clanging cymbal" (I Cor. 13:1). And I cannot help but think about how "loudly" so many collectives are, as though their volume should assure us that they are speaking truth. Trust me when I say that I have dealt with many such liars and impostors who thought they would change my mind simply because they refused to stop "roaring" (I Peter 5:8), and the sad truth is, this makes up a big portion of our society around us. I've said it more than once—we are very, very comfortable with lying, even in the religious segments of our society.

So as believers, what do we do? We must desire the truth regardless of the cost to attain it. We must be willing to fall in love with it, embrace it, and incorporate it into our being. We must seek for it above everything else, even if it means "losing" our father, mother, brother, sister, children, friends, houses, land, whatever the cost may be! (Matt. 19:29) Far too often we compromise the truth for these things, not realizing that when we do, we not only deny ourselves the benefit, but those around us as well.

Seeking the truth will not draw large crowds or make you popular. Proof? Jesus Himself. Ah, but He did have large crowds, did He not? Yes, He did, but not because they wanted the truth. Instead, they sought the miracles and healings, the fish and the loaves.

John 17:14-23 (NKJV)  
14 **I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world**. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 **They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world**. 17 **Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is** truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 **that they all may be one, as You, Father,** _are_ **in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us,** that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 **I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and** that the world may know that You have sent Me **, and have loved them as You have loved Me**.

When Jesus prayed for the unity of His disciples, He said something very important, and He said it twice. The first time He said, "That the world may _believe_ that You sent Me," but the second time He said, "That the world may _know_ that You have sent Me." Is there a difference between believing and knowing? No, for true believing _is_ knowing. This _knowing_ or _intimacy_ is reflected in _marriage_ in the book of Genesis. "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be _joined_ to his wife, and they shall become _one flesh_ " (Gen. 2:24). What did Paul say in I Corinthians 13:12? "Now I _know_ in part, _but then_ I shall know just as I also am known."

1 Corinthians 6:16-17 (NKJV)  
16 Or **do you not know** that he who is **joined** to a harlot is one body _with her?_ For _"the two,"_ He says, _"shall become one flesh."_ 17 **But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit** _with Him_ _._

Genesis 4:1 (NKJV)  
1 Now Adam **knew** Eve his wife, and **she conceived** ...

Revelation 21:2-3 (NKJV)  
2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, **prepared as a bride adorned for her husband**. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God _is_ with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them _and be_ their God.

It should be evident by our passages that the destiny of the New Testament Church is this oneness which we are considering, made clear by the statement, "Prepared _as a bride_ adorned for her husband." Our "husband" is Christ (Eph. 5:23) and He has determined to bring us to the unity of His Spirit and truth. For this reason, Jesus said, "And you shall _know_ the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). It doesn't matter what we "say" we believe in, we must "know" it in the deepest depths of our being, otherwise the world will continue to scoff at our efforts.

Our passage from Genesis 4:1 shows that _knowing_ involves _conception_ , the planting and formation of the seed within. In our case, the "seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11). First, we are known by God and the seed is sown within our hearts, but once that seed has fully formed within us and a child is birthed, we come to know _as we have been known_. This spiritual reality is reflected in the following passages.

Revelation 12:1-2, 5 (NKJV)  
1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: **a woman clothed with the sun** , with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then **being with child** , she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth... 5 **She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron**. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.

Our "woman clothed with the sun" speaks of "the holy city, New Jerusalem," the New Covenant people of God, the "Jerusalem _above_ " (in heaven) who is "free" and "the mother of us all" (Gal. 4:26). As our passages show, she is "with child." The "male Child" speaks of Christ in us, the hope of glory (Gal. 4:19; Col. 1:27).

Matthew 24:3-8 (NIV)  
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of **the end of the age**?" 4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, **but the end is still to come**. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

In keeping with our perspective, we find in Matthew, Chapter 24, that Jesus describes the "birth pains" necessary for the formation of Christ in His church. What do these "birth pains" represent? Tribulation. And just like natural birth pains, this tribulation becomes increasingly worse until the birth of the child (Acts 14:22). Jesus describes this "worsening" effect in the verses which follow and it is not until verse 31 that He addresses the oneness that He desires.

Matthew 24:31 (NKJV)  
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, **and they will gather together His elect** from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mark 13:27 (NKJV)  
27 And then He will send His angels, and **gather together His elect** from the four winds, **from the farthest part of** earth **to the farthest part of heaven**.

Ephesians 1:10 (NKJV)  
10 ... that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times **He might gather together in one all things in Christ** , **both which are in heaven** and **which are on earth--in Him**.

Matthew's record agrees with Mark's, but Mark goes one step further, speaking of gathering "His elect from the four winds, from _the farthest part of_ earth _to the farthest part of heaven_." This correlates with our passages in Ephesians where Paul said, "He might _gather together in one all things in Christ_ , both _which are in_ _heaven_ _and which are on_ _earth_ —in Him." The "birth pains" are over and a "son" is born. And who is this "son"? By all indications, it speaks of the manifestation of Christ in the "elect."

# Chapter Thirteen

# THE ELECT

Matthew 24:31 (NKJV)  
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, **and they will gather together His** elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mark 13:27 (NKJV)  
27 And then He will send His angels, and **gather together His** elect from the four winds, **from the farthest part of** earth **to the farthest part of heaven**.

Ephesians 1:10 (NKJV)  
10 ... that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one **all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him**.

One cannot go very far into scripture without encountering the subject of the "elect." This word means, " _Select_ ; by implication _favorite_." It's taken from the word which means, "To _select_ ," in other words, to choose or be chosen. The same word is used in Matthew and Mark.

It is apparent that the elect or chosen hold a very important position in the purpose of God, for the unity which Christ desires begins with them. This being the case, then we should find them in the book of the Revelation, and we do. Please consider.

Revelation 7:1-4 (NKJV)  
1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, **holding the four winds of the earth** , that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, **having the seal of the living God**. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees **till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads**." 4 And **I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred** _and_ **forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel** _were_ **sealed** ...

Who hasn't heard of the 144,000 in Revelation? Who are they? Our context shows that they are the elect which we are considering. This is confirmed by the fact that we also see the "four winds" which Jesus referred to in Matthew and Mark (see Ezekiel, Chapter 14, verses 12 through 23 for an understanding of the "four winds").

Is this number literal? I don't believe so. Our number 144,000 is first given as 12 x 12,000, or 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel (see Rev. 21:16 and Numbers 31:5). No doubt, divine government is emphasized in our _twelve_. We can break this number down further as 12 x 12 x 1,000. This would be appropriate, giving us _two twelves_ or a "double witness" of "divine government" x 1,000.

In his book, Biblical Mathematics, Ed Vallowe tells us that 1,000 represents "divine completeness and the glory of God." Would this align with Matthew 24:31? I believe it would.

2 Peter 3:8-10 (KJV)  
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that **one day** _is_ **with the Lord as a thousand years** , **and a thousand years as one day**. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 **But the day of the Lord** will come as a thief in the night...

One thousand is always indicative of a "day of the Lord," which speaks of the "light" of God's glory and righteousness (I Thess. 5:5), and as we have found in this study, there are _three_ to be considered; the Day of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles proper.

We should also note that the same Greek word for "thousand" is found in our phrase "a _thousand_ two hundred and threescore days" in Revelation 11:3 and 12:6 and in Revelation, Chapter 20, verses 2 through 7. All of these verses address those who live and reign with Christ. When we compare our "thousand" with "two hundred" (200) and "threescore" (60), we find that _two hundred_ speaks of "insufficiency" (Bullinger; Vallowe) while _sixty_ speaks of "pride" (Vallowe). Would this suggest the need for pride to be eradicated from us in order for our spiritual insufficiency to be corrected that we might show the true glory of God?

We should also note that the number _three_ is emphasized in our _three_ segments of this one feast (as it is in our number 1000 which is 10 x 10 x 10). _Three is one of the most important numbers in scripture_. Consider the following from Stephen Jones (emphasis mine).

Three (gimel)

Divine Fullness, Perfection

Gimel is a camel in Hebrew. It signifies to be lifted up. Pride is its negative side; being glorified or elevated to a position of authority is its positive side.

The number three is the number of divine fullness, completeness, or perfection. Whereas it takes two lines to fix a position by an x-y axis, it takes three to give shape and to enclose a geometric area—in this case, a triangle.

Because the law establishes truth on the basis of two or three witnesses (Deut. 19:15), the number three may be considered to be a complete witness. Two witnesses are enough to establish truth, but three brings completeness, clarity, and shape to it.

For this reason, there are three primary feast days in Israel: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. It takes all three feasts to perfect a man with the fullness of the Spirit. Each feast is an aspect of salvation for man's three-fold nature: spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23).

In Luke 13:32 Jesus said, "Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected."

Jesus was the Good Shepherd in death, for John 10:14, 15 says, "I am the good Shepherd ... and I lay down My life for the sheep." Jesus was the Great Shepherd in resurrection, for we read in Heb. 13:20,

20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the Great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord.

Finally, Jesus is the Chief Shepherd in glory, for 1 Peter 5:4 says,

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

So we see that three is the number indicating completeness and perfection.

Three speaks of "divine fullness, completeness, or perfection," summed up in the act of _resurrection_ (death (1), burial (2), _resurrection_ (3)). Vallowe wrote, "No other number in all the Bible reveals the works of the Creator more than the number THREE," and, "The number THREE also stands for the RESURRECTION of the body." I agree, especially considering that resurrection _is the core essence of the gospel of Christ_ (see I Corinthians, Chapter 15, verses 1 through 22).

In our passages from Revelation 7, we read, "'Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.' And I heard the number _of those who were sealed_."

2 Timothy 2:19 (NKJV)  
19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, **having this seal** : "The Lord **knows** those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."

Friend, the "seal" of God speaks of the "mystery of God" (Rev. 10:7) and of those whom the Lord _knows_ and come to _know_ Him and "depart from iniquity" (I Cor. 13:12). When one departs from iniquity (lawlessness), this equates to _knowing_ Him, for "name" denotes "nature," thus the elect are those who enter into the divine nature of their Lord and give testimony of His Word accordingly. They have been truly humbled by the divine process of God and there is no iniquity (lawlessness) found in them (John 14:30). By the grace of their Lord, they have overcome the spirit of error and walk in truth (I John 2:3-6). We find confirmation in Revelation, Chapter 14.

Revelation 14:1, 5 (NKJV)  
1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, **and with Him one hundred** _and_ **forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads** ... 5 And **in their mouth was found no deceit** , for they are without fault before the throne of God.

"Mount Zion" speaks of _divine rulership in the kingdom of God_ and the "Father's _name_ written on their foreheads" again denotes the _nature_ of God in the elect, the _mind_ of Christ (forehead). Like David of old, they are after God's own heart (I Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). These are "redeemed _from_ the earth," "redeemed _from_ among men," the " _firstfruits_ ," or first ripe fruit, "to God and to the Lamb" (Rev. 14:3-4), and " _in their mouth was found no deceit_ , for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Rev. 14:5). They are those who overcome in each of the seven churches, the "servants of our God" who have been "sealed" on "their foreheads" (Rev. 7:3-4), therefore they are symbolized by the "seven seals" on the book _sealed_ with seven seals (Rev. 5:1).

So consider this, my friend. Do you think that the Lord is not capable of raising someone up to speak the undiluted truth of God as they did in the book of Acts? Do you think that man's pride can prevent this from happening? Do we not see that even now the Lord is judging, purging, and scourging a people in order to bring forth the "fruit" of His Spirit in the earth?

Paul speaks clearly about the elect or chosen in Romans, Chapter 11.

Romans 11:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, _of_ the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 _"Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life"?_ 4 But what does the divine response say to him? _"I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal."_ 5 **Even so then, at this present** time **there is a remnant according to the election of grace**.

How many were reserved? _Seven thousand_ , our number of _spiritual perfection_ or _completeness_ coupled with the "light" or "day of the Lord," one thousand for each of the seven branches of the lampstand. Let me share with you the following illustration.

Do you see how our "elect" are accounted for through each of the seven churches? Though our definition of "elect" says "favorite," there is definitely no favoritism involved, for "God does not show favoritism" (Acts 10:34; NIV). Rather, it is about our Creator knowing the hearts of His people and of those who desire the kingdom of God above all else. The Lord _knows_ them that are His and them that are His come to _know_ Him.

John 10:14 (NKJV)  
14 I am the good shepherd; and **I know My** _sheep,_ **and am known by My own**.

John 10:27 (KJV)  
27 **My sheep hear my voice** , and **I know them** , and **they follow me** ...

"My sheep hear my voice" and to those who are His sheep, His voice is "loud" and "as of a trumpet," clear and undeniable (Rev. 1:10; 4:1)!

Now, let us go to the great "resurrection" chapter of the Bible, I Corinthians, Chapter 15. There we will find even more about our subject.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 (NKJV)  
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those _who are_ Christ's at His coming.

Once Paul establishes the resurrection of Christ in verses 1 through 22, he moves on to speak of _the resurrection of the believers_ , however, there are _two_ to be considered as evidenced by the feasts of Israel. Let me share with you a portion of Stephen Jone's work, _Creation's Jubilee_.

Paul begins his discussion of the resurrections by a general statement that lets us know where Paul is taking us. He says in 1 Corinthians 15:22, " _For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive._ " This plainly tells us that all are going to be raised in Christ, even as all died in Adam. Next, he tells us HOW this is to be accomplished, and we will see that not all are going to be raised at the same time.

**23** **But each in his own order** [ _tagma,_ or "squadron"] **: Christ the first fruits** [or, "anointed firstfruits"] **, after that those who are** [the] **Christ's at His coming** **[parousia, "presence"].**

Most people are agreed that Paul is here talking about two different resurrections. However, most also assume that the first resurrection is that of Jesus, who is the Christ, "The Anointed One." That is why we see it usually translated, " _Christ the first fruits_." The second resurrection is then taken to refer to all the believers, and no distinction is made between overcomers and the Church in general. We, however, have good reason to differ with this view.

Remember, Paul had already concluded his section dealing with the resurrection of Jesus. In verse 22 he turned his attention to OUR OWN resurrections **,** saying that all of us will be made alive, but each in his own order or _squadron_. The Greek word translated "order" in the King James Version is _tagma_ , which is actually a military term, referring to a body of soldiers. Paul is saying that we will be raised in three squadrons.

The first squadron is NOT "Christ the firstfruits," as most translators have mistakenly assumed. There are three squadrons, and Jesus is not a squadron, but an individual. It should read the "anointed firstfruits." **** The Greek word _christos_ means "anointed." Jesus is, of course, THE Christ—that is, "THE Anointed One." But the word _christos_ does not always refer to Jesus. In fact, the word can be applied to anyone or any thing that has been anointed.

When the word _christos_ is preceded by the definite article _the_ , it usually refers to THE Christ—that is, to Jesus, who is "the Anointed One." However, when _christos_ is used WITHOUT the definite article, it is indefinite and could refer to people or things that have been anointed and set apart for God's use. Prophets, priests, and kings throughout the Bible were all anointed, or "christened." The vessels of the temple and even Jacob's pillow (Gen. 28:18) were anointed.

In 1 Cor. 15:22 the definite article is used in the original Greek, where Paul is talking about Jesus "the Christ," in whom all shall be made alive. Then in verse 23, _the_ is used in the latter part of the verse, but not in the first part. This implies that the verse should have been understood as follows:

"But every man in his own squadron: (1) the anointed firstfruits; (2) afterward they that are the Christ's at His presence."

Once we realize that Paul was using the theme of Israel's three harvest festivals, his meaning is clear. Paul is here referring to Passover and Pentecost, the harvest of the barley and the wheat. The first "squadron" to be raised from the dead are the barley Overcomers; the second is the Church in general, the _wheat_ harvest.

It is important to know that the firstfruits of the barley harvest were to be anointed with oil. Paul is referring to this fact here when he says, " _anointed_ firstfruits." We read of this in Leviticus 23:13. Speaking of the barley firstfruits as distinct from the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, Moses says:

**13** **Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths** _of an ephah_ **of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to the LORD** _for_ **a soothing aroma, with its libation, a fourth of a hin of wine.**

And so, when Paul lists the first squadron of people who will be raised from the dead, he calls them the "anointed firstfruits." He had in mind the firstfruits of the barley harvest. These will rule and reign with Christ on the earth (Rev. 5:10; 20:6).

Those who belong to Christ, the Church in general, will inherit the second resurrection. These are portrayed in temple ceremony where the two loaves offered to God were first _baked with leaven_ (Lev. 23:17). While oil signifies the Holy Spirit, leaven signifies sin (Exodus 12:15; Mark 8:15). This is the main difference between the barley and wheat, and it is obvious that Paul picks up on that difference in his discussion of the first two resurrections. The first is the anointed firstfruits; the second is leavened company, the Church in general.

Should one doubt that there are two resurrections, then consider the following passage.

Revelation 20:5 (NKJV)  
5 But **the rest of the dead did not live again** until the thousand years were finished. **This** _is_ **the** first **resurrection**.

Should one doubt what the first resurrection signifies, consider what John wrote before our preceding passage.

Revelation 20:4 (NKJV)  
4 **And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them**. Then _I saw_ the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received _his_ mark on their foreheads or on their hands. **And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years**.

It should be clear to us that the "first resurrection" signifies rulership with Christ and not everyone receives this privilege, however, the firstfruits of the harvest always speaks of the rest of the harvest to come as well as the fact that they are sanctified by them.

Romans 11:16 (NKJV)  
16 For if the **firstfruit** _is_ holy, the **lump** _is_ also _holy;_ and if the **root** _is_ holy, so _are_ the **branches**.

Before I close this chapter, let's look at our three passages once again.

Matthew 24:31 (NKJV)  
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, **and they will gather together His** elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mark 13:27 (NKJV)  
27 And then He will send His angels, and **gather together His** elect from the four winds, **from the farthest part of** earth **to the farthest part of heaven**.

Ephesians 1:10 (NKJV)  
10 ... that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times **He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him**.

It should be clear to us that the unity which Christ desires shall take place during the "fullness of the times," represented by the seventh church of Laodicea. This being the case, consider what Jesus said to those who overcome.

Revelation 3:20-22 (NIV)  
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21 **To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne**. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

As we see, the Lord's promise to the overcomers aligns with the first resurrection, to rule and reign with Him on His throne.

# Chapter Fourteen

# ALL THE ANGELS

Matthew 25:31-33 (NKJV)  
31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, **and all the holy angels with Him** , then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides _his_ sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

The Word is specific. Note the phrase, "And _all_ the holy angels with Him." Not some, but _all_.

Matthew 13:41-43 (NKJV)  
41 The Son of Man **will send out His angels** , and **they will gather out of His kingdom** all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

In the Parable of the Tares we read, "The Son of Man will send out His angels." It doesn't say "all," but it is implied, for both address the "end of the age" (Matt. 13:39-40).

Whenever we see the word "angels," it is our first inclination to grab hold of the traditional perspective and think of them as heavenly messengers and ethereal spirits, however, I remind you of the fact that Jesus told John to "write" to the "angel" of each of the seven churches. If these prophecies are in regard to His people, why would John address an "angel"? We find our answer in the following.

Luke 20:34-36 (NKJV)  
34 And Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But **those who are counted worthy to attain that age** , and **the resurrection from the dead** , neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels **and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection**.

Who is Jesus speaking of in these passages? Would it not be the elect or chosen of God? And what does He say about them? " _They are equal to the angels_." Haven't we found that at the end of the age that He will first "gather together His elect"? Doesn't Jesus make this clear?

Matthew 24:29-31 (ESV)  
29 " **Immediately after the tribulation of those days** the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And **he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call** , and **they will gather his elect from the four winds** , from one end of heaven to the other.

"All the holy angels with Him." This statement, along with the "end of the age," both suggest our time of fullness, for "all the holy angels" would be _all seven angels_ to _all seven churches_. When we understand that the word "angel" means, "A _messenger_ " and includes the "Spirit" of the Giver of the message, then we can say that angels represent _the living Word of God communicated by the Spirit of Revelation_ (truth) through whatever channel our Creator desires, divine _or_ human. This idea should come as no surprise to us. After all, the Lord has always used men to advance His kingdom. As a matter of study, consider the following.

Revelation 1:4 (KJV)  
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace _be_ unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from **the seven Spirits which are before his throne** ...

"Seven Spirits," as in angels? Please consider.

Isaiah 11:1-4 (NKJV)  
1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. 2 **The Spirit of the Lord** shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of **wisdom** (1) and **understanding** (2), the Spirit of **counsel** (3) and **might** (4), the Spirit of **knowledge** (5) and of the **fear** of the Lord (6). 3 His delight _is_ in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; 4 But with righteousness ( **7** ) He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

Friend, the "seven Spirits" which are "before His throne" speaks of the seven aspects of the one "Spirit of the Lord" as given above. What is _seven_? Fullness, hence "righteousness" is defined by the other six, and is found in those who "hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

# Chapter Fifteen

# FULLY KNOWN

Colossians 1:24-27 (ESV)  
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh **I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church** , 25 of which I became a minister according to the **stewardship** (dispensation; KJV) **from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known** , 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Our word "stewardship" is the same Greek word defined as "dispensation" in Ephesians 1:10 in the King James Bible. Consider this treatment from _Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament_.

The dispensation (οἰκονομίαν)

From οἶκος _house_ and νέμω _to dispense_ or _manage_. Hence οἰκονόμος _a house-steward_. Here the meaning is _stewardship—_ the office of a steward or administrator in God's house. See on 1 Corinthians 9:17, and compare Luke 16:2-4; 1 Corinthians 4:1; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 4:10. In Ephesians 3:2, the word is used of the divine _arrangement_ or _economy_ committed to Paul. In Ephesians 1:10 of the divine _government_ or _regulation_ of the world.

As we see, our word "dispensation" speaks of Paul's ministry to the church "to make the Word of God _fully known_." He also defines the "mystery" which he mentioned in Ephesians 1:9 as "Christ in you, the hope of glory."

There should be no doubt that Paul was a chosen vessel of the Lord which also reveals to us the purpose of the elect. Why does Christ gather together His elect at the end of the age? In order "to make the Word of God _fully known_."

Think about it beloved. We are so used to the Word being confused at every level that we cannot imagine it being anything else. We are so accustomed to being surrounded by so many Christian denominations and organizations which differ in doctrine that we have accepted this as the norm. We have also accepted the idea that His Word of truth can be interpreted many different ways so we cannot imagine a unity where all of us are in the "same mind and in the same judgment" (I Cor. 1:10).

Friend, I will say it again. Truth cannot be interpreted different ways. Yes, it may be _presented_ differently, _but the spirit and message_ remain _the same_. God's Word was not given to support or confirm our Christian denominations or labels and to think so is foolishness! God's Word applies to God's kingdom, not ours, and it is a spiritual kingdom working within the hearts of many throughout the world, both _within_ the denominations and _outside_ of them. The Lord has never been restricted by our human perceptions and arrogant declarations to the world that "we" have the truth. He alone is the way, the truth, and the life! (John 14:6)

I think it's safe to say that Laodicea is a perfect picture of where we presently stand. While so many of us believe we are "rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," we "do not know" that we are "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). We are spiritually destitute and in great need of repentance.

Let me ask you again. Do you think that we in our pride are capable of preventing God's purpose from being fully reckoned? Are we in control? Or is the devil, as some so foolishly teach, in control? No, he is not! Have we not learned that God's living and powerful Word has been and will continue to be what controls the destiny of man? Do we honestly think that a Creator such as ours is limited by our fleshly and egotistical posturing? Think long and hard, my friend! We are speaking of our Maker who brought forth all that exists. We have barely scratched the surface of His divine wisdom and power, so rest assured it will be as He has determined. "The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (Psalms 12:6). Know that _we_ are the "furnace of earth," for it is His "fiery law" (Deut. 33:2) within which is moving us forward and transforming us into His glorious image!

# Chapter Sixteen

# THE DAYS OF NOAH

Matthew 24:3 (NKJV)  
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And **what** _will be_ **the sign of Your coming** , and of **the end of the age**?"

Our word "sign" is _sēmeion_ and is defined by the Strong's Concordance as, "An _indication_ , especially ceremonial or supernatural." Our word "coming" is _parousia_ and is defined as, "A _being near_ , i.e. _advent_." Our word _sēmeion_ is used a total of 76 times in the King James while our word _parousia_ is used 24 times ( _two twelves_ ; coincidence?).

In His answers to the disciples, the Lord uses _parousia_ three times; first in Matthew 24:27, then in 24:37 and 24:39. In Matthew 24:27, He speaks of the "lightning" which "comes from the east and flashes to the west." In Matthew 24:37, He speaks of the "days of Noah." Finally, in Matthew 24:39, He speaks of the "flood" which "came and took them all away," again in reference to the "days of Noah."

As for the word _sēmeion_ , the Lord uses this same word in Matthew 24:24 and Matthew 24:30. In Matthew 24:24, it is in reference to the "great _signs_ and wonders" of the "false christs and false prophets." In Matthew 24:30, it is in reference to the " _sign_ of the Son of man in heaven" (KJV).

We cannot consider the coming of the Son of Man without realizing the fact that Christ has been in the midst of the church since its inception. After all, He is the life-giving essence of its being, is He not? Has He not been at the right hand of the Father since His ascension at the Jordan River (Rev. 3:21)? Has He not been fulfilling every detail of the law since He entered this earthly plane almost two thousand years ago? So we must think of His "coming" as more than just a return at the end of the age. Beloved, He has been among us all along, executing the Father's purpose until "all things which are written" are fulfilled (Luke 21:22).

It should be clear from the Lord's discourse that "the coming of the Son of Man" is illustrated by the "days," _plural_ , "of Noah." As this study suggests, these "days" are not literal, but speak of our "times and half a time," which defines the spiritual fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. Within these "days" or unfolding of His Word, a "flood" is determined, not of water, but of _deception_ (Rev. 12:15) and _lawlessness_ (Matt. 24:12). This is confirmed by the Lord's remark in Matthew 24:24, as well as in Matthew 24:4, 5 and 11.

A "flood" speaks of an _overflow_ or _excess_ , for once something is full, any addition to it will cause it to run over. This excess is illustrated in the exponential function of a seed, of going from _one_ to _many_. What begins as one "seed" of knowledge becomes many and the formation of a collective becomes evident.

Now, let's consider what was recorded in Genesis concerning the "days of Noah."

Genesis 6:5 (KJV)  
5 And GOD saw that **the wickedness of man** _was_ great in the earth, and _that_ **every imagination of the thoughts of his heart** _was_ **only evil continually**.

Remember our "bottomless pit" which describes our continual longing for the things of this world? In light of our "days of Noah," this corresponds to "every imagination of the thoughts" of our hearts being "only evil continually" (I John 2:15-17). Our word "continually" defines the _excess_ of which we speak and this "excess" or "flood" is typified by the following in Revelation.

Revelation 17:12-14 (ESV)  
12 And the **ten horns** that you saw are **ten kings** who have not yet received royal power, but **they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast**. 13 These are of one mind and hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 **They will make war on the Lamb** , and **the Lamb will conquer them** , for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

I have defined our "seven heads" of the beast of the sea as the " _six_ things that the Lord hates," the " _seven_ that are an abomination to Him" (Prov. 6:16; ESV). Horns are simply _an extension of the head_ so our phrases "they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, _together with the beast_ " and " _these are of one mind_ and _hand over their power and authority_ to the beast" both show that we are speaking of the many collectives who "sow" the same "discord among brothers" as that which they are connected to. Now, consider the following from Stephen Jones about the spiritual meaning of _ten_.

Ten (yod)

Divine Order, Law

Yod is a closed hand. Because ten is also the number of the law, which brings divine order, it signifies "the works of the law."

As we wrote earlier, the number eight indicates a new beginning, a new birth in a believer. Nine is visitation and manifests the Holy Spirit's leading, training, and judgment (learning to discern right and wrong) in the life of the believer, and acts as a witness against the unbeliever to expose the secrets of his heart.

Ten is the number of divine order being reestablished one way or another through the judgment of the law (as pictured by the Ten Commandments). In other words, it manifests the actual sentence of the law which follows the gathering and presentation of the evidence. After the Holy Spirit has revealed the evidence to expose men's hearts (i.e., number nine), the Judge reveals the law. That is, he pronounces the sentence (i.e., number ten) according to the law.

Ten is the number that portrays that time of judgment when men either receive reward or come under divine judgment. One way or another, the law must be fulfilled and the divine order reestablished.

The tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the yod, which means a deed or work. Because ten is also the number of the law, as seen in the Ten Commandments, the yod became a symbol of "the works of the law" (Rom. 3:20). The meaning of the number ten is based upon the divine law, because as Revelation 20:12 and 13 say, all will be judged "according to their deeds."

The tenth time Noah's name is mentioned is in Gen. 6:13, where God said,

13 Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth."

This speaks of judgment by the divine law in Noah's day, because the people had rejected Noah's message—that is, the message of the Comforter (Menachem).

The tenth time Isaac is mentioned is in Gen. 22:3, where we see his father taking him to Mount Moriah. This pictures the great sacrifice of Christ on the cross, where the law's judgment fell upon the only-begotten Son of God, who paid the penalty for our sin and rebellion.

In agreement with Dr. Jones, Bullinger wrote the following.

It has been already pointed out that ten is one of the perfect numbers, and signifies the perfection of Divine order, commencing, as it does, an altogether new series of numbers. The first decade is the representative of the whole numeral system and originates the system of calculation called "decimals," because the whole system of numeration consists of so many tens, of which the first is a type of the whole.

Completeness of order, marking the entire round of anything, is, therefore, the ever-present signification of the number ten. It implies that nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete.

Dr. Jones tells us, " _Ten_ is the number of divine order being reestablished one way or another through the judgment of the law (as pictured by the Ten Commandments)," and, "Ten is the number that portrays that time of judgment when men either receive reward or come under divine judgment. One way or another, the law must be fulfilled and the divine order reestablished." Would this not agree with "the perfection of divine order" and with the fact that "nothing is wanting; that the number and order are perfect; that the whole cycle is complete"? This is confirmed by the fact that when the "ten horns" are given power and authority with the beast, we arrive at the end of the cycle (7 heads + 10 horns); there is nothing left to follow. This aligns perfectly with the Parable of the Tares and the Parable of the Sheep and Goats where all are rewarded according to their works; some inheriting the kingdom while others are cast into "the everlasting fire" (Matt. 25:41). All of this also aligns with, "They (seven heads and ten horns) will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them," the "divine order" reestablished through the "works of the law." And know too, my friend, that He will conquer through His divine presence and love through His elect and through His body, the church.

Genesis 6:11-12 (ESV)  
11 Now **the earth was corrupt** in God's sight, and **the earth was filled with violence**. 12 And God saw the earth, and behold, **it was corrupt** , for **all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth**.

In the days of Noah, "the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was _filled_ (7) with violence." Sound familiar? It should, for the same is true of this present time in which we live. Note too that "the earth was corrupt _in God's sight_." This shows that it is God alone who knows when "fullness" is reached and a "flood" is imminent.

2 Peter 2:5 (ESV)  
5 ... if he did not spare the ancient world, **but preserved Noah** , _a herald of righteousness_ , with **seven** others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly...

What did Daniel record? "Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till _the end_. And _you shall rest_ and shall stand in your allotted place _at the end of the days._ " The name "Noah" means "rest," and know, my friend, that "there remains therefore a rest for the people of God" (Heb. 4:9).

Remember our number 45? It means _preservation_ , as in " _preserved_ Noah." It is also significant that Noah was called the " _eighth_ person" in the King James rendering, while our " _seven_ others" denotes the _fullness_ which we are considering. Let's take a moment to consider Dr. Jones' explanation of the spiritual meaning of _eight_ (bolding and emphasis mine).

Eight (chet)

New Beginning

**Chet** is a fence in Hebrew. It can also signify an inner room, _even the heart itself_.

Eight is the number of new beginning. The sons of Abraham were to be circumcised on the eighth day (Gen. 17:12), because **the eighth day was the lawful time for the presentation of the firstborn** (Ex. 22:29, 30). It took **a full seven days** to consecrate the priests (Lev. 8:33), and **then they emerged from the tabernacle on the eighth day**. _God then manifested His presence to the people on the eighth day_ (Lev. 9:1, 4, 24).

In the New Testament, **Jesus was raised from the dead on the eighth day** to fulfill the law of the wave-sheaf offering (Lev. 23:10, 11). Likewise, Pentecost occurred seven weeks later on the fiftieth day, **which was also the eighth day** (Lev. 23:15-17). As we showed earlier, Jesus prophesied on the **eighth day of Tabernacles** (John 7:37-39) about the outpouring of the Spirit. These examples all fulfill the law of the presentation of the firstborn on the eighth day in Exodus 22:29, 30.

I believe Dr. Jones' explanation makes it clear that what we are considering has to do with the "inward man" of our hearts (Rom. 7:22; II Cor. 4:16), for that is where the kingdom of God truly abides (Luke 17:21). As shown, _eight_ denotes a "new beginning" and speaks of "the presentation of the firstborn." Just as "Jesus was raised from the dead on the eighth day," so too during the time of "fullness" there will arise "a herald of righteousness," signified by the firstfruits, those who endure to the end and like our Lord are "raised from the dead." Would this not be a "new beginning"?

Matthew 24:37-42 (ESV)  
37 As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as **in those days before the flood** they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, **until the day when Noah entered the ark** , 39 and **they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away** , so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; **one will be taken and one left**. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; **one will be taken and one left**. 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

Consider our phrase, "In those days _before_ the flood." Since there must first be "fullness" _before_ there can be an excess or flood, then this points to our first two "days" on the lampstand, the Day of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. This is followed by "the day," _singular_ , "when Noah entered the ark." What happened then? Because Noah and his family were obedient to God, they were "raised" up (resurrection) by the same waters of death that destroyed those who did not enter.

Our word "resurrection" means, "A _standing up_ again." Since _three_ is our number for _resurrection_ , the _first_ resurrection would be defined by the _third_ segment of the Feast of Passover, being " _first_ -fruits" (as in first resurrection). This is logical, for the _first ripe fruit_ of any harvest clearly denotes the _standing up again_ of the seed which was sown. As we have considered, our first resurrection is signified by the following.

Revelation 7:1-4 (KJV)  
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the **four winds** of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having **the seal of the living God** : and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed **the servants of our God in their foreheads**. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: _and_ _there were_ **sealed** an **hundred** _and_ **forty** _and_ **four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel**.

Revelation 14:1-5 (KJV)  
1 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**. 2 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: 3 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**. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. **These were redeemed from among men,** _being_ **the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb**. 5 **And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God**.

In Revelation, Chapter 7, we have the "firstfruits" symbolized by the 144,000, being "sealed" by God. Keep in mind that our "four winds" identifies them as the "elect" in Matthew 24:31 (see also Matthew 24:22 and 24). We then come to Revelation, Chapter 14, where we find this same 144,000 standing on "Mount Sion" (Zion) with the "Lamb," indicative of ruling and reigning with Christ. John confirms to us that these are the "firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."

In Revelation, Chapter 7, they are "sealed," but in Revelation, Chapter 14, they are now on Mount Zion, having passed through the "four winds" and _revealed_ to the rest of the church (see Romans 8, verses 18 through 25).

Note the phrase, "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins." Jesus spoke of "those days _before_ the flood" as a time of "eating and drinking, _marrying and giving in marriage_." Consider this in light of Revelation, Chapter 14, and in the following passages.

Luke 20:34-36 (NKJV)  
34 And Jesus answered and said to them, " **The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage**. 35 But **those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead,** neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are **sons of God** , being **sons of the resurrection**.

"The sons of _this age_ marry and are given in marriage," however, "those who are counted worthy to attain _that age_ , and the resurrection from the dead, _neither marry nor are given in marriage_." Do you see the difference? Those "who are counted worthy to attain that age" refuse to "marry" or _join_ anyone but Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:1-4 (ESV)  
1 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 I feel a divine jealousy for you, for **I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ**. 3 **But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ**. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims **another Jesus** than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a **different spirit** from the one you received, or if you accept a **different gospel** from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

Paul's "divine jealousy" is evident for the Corinthian believers. "I betrothed you to one husband, _to present you as a pure virgin_ to Christ." And the 144,000? "These are they which were not defiled with women; _for they are virgins_." These are the sons of "that age," the "sons of God, being sons of the resurrection."

So what defines a "virgin"? "A _sincere_ and _pure_ devotion to Christ." And what was Paul's concern regarding the Corinthian believers? "Another Jesus," a "different spirit," and a "different gospel." Is this evident today? I believe it is.

Genesis 6:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that **the sons of God saw the daughters of men** , that they _were_ beautiful; and **they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose**. 3 And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he _is_ indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." 4 There were **giants** on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when **the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore** _children_ **to them**. **Those** _were_ **the mighty men who** _were_ **of old, men of renown**. 5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man _was_ great in the earth, and _that_ every intent of the thoughts of his heart _was_ only evil continually.

"The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage." In the "days of Noah" we find a parallel, "the _sons of God_ saw the _daughters of men_ " and "they took _wives_ for themselves of all whom they chose." When the sons of God had children by these wives, they became "mighty men" or "men of renown." There is another parallel in the book of the Revelation which explains our "daughters of men."

Revelation 17:5 (NKJV)  
5 And on her forehead a name _was_ written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, **THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS** AND OF THE **ABOMINATIONS** OF THE EARTH.

Would "harlots" coincide with "the _daughters_ of men"? I believe so, and would the "daughters of men" represent the religious denominations and organizations which we have given "birth" to? (They would be "daughters" because the church is female; Eph. 5:23).

"Abominations." Would this correlate with Proverbs 6, verses 16 through 19, and our "mighty men" and "men of renown"? Think about it. What does the Lord consider an abomination? "One who sows discord among brethren" (Prov. 6:19), and concerning the "false christs and false prophets" which Jesus said would arise (Matt. 24:24), He said they would "deceive, if possible, even the elect." Would this not align with the idea of another Jesus, a different spirit, and a different gospel? (Author's Note: For a better understanding of Babylon, see my study, "Eastward in Eden").

What would another spirit be if not the _spirit of error_? What would another Jesus be but one who has been conceptualized by our pride which demeans the nature and character of Christ? What would another gospel be if not the preaching of doctrines that express self-righteousness, self-entitlement, and fleshly indulgence (II Tim. 3:1-5)?

When we put all of this together, one must wonder if we are now living in the "days of Noah."

# Chapter Seventeen

# MORE ON THE DAYS OF NOAH

Genesis 6:17 (NKJV)  
17 And behold, **I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth** , to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which _is_ the breath of life; everything that _is_ on the earth shall die.

Genesis 7:10-13 (NKJV)  
10 And it came to pass **after seven days** that **the waters of the flood were on the earth**. 11 In the **six hundredth year** of Noah's life, in the **second month** , the **seventeenth day of the month** , _on that day_ **all the fountains of the great deep were broken up** , and **the windows of heaven were opened**. 12 And the rain was on the earth **forty days and forty nights**. 13 On the very same day Noah and Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark...

Jesus said, "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt. 24:37). We have considered several things, but there is still more for us to think about.

First of all, remember that our name "Noah" means "rest." This speaks of the "rest" for His people that can only be accomplished by the power of His Spirit and Word alone (Heb. 4:10). This "rest" is typified by the _seventh_ day (Sabbath) and agrees with our presentation of the _seventh_ branch and Tabernacles proper.

Note that Genesis 6:17 reads, "And behold, I Myself (the Lord) am bringing floodwaters on the earth." This reaffirms our understanding that all of what we are considering has been determined by His immutable Word. Though we have, in a sense, brought these things upon ourselves, it is due to the fact that His living Word spoke of it long before our time.

We read, "And it came to pass _after seven_ days that the waters of the flood were on the earth." First, "seven" or _fullness_ , then "after" that, an "excess" or _flood_.

It is not at all coincidence that Noah was six hundred years old when the flood came. This is the number which denotes "warfare" (Vallowe). From Vallowe.

SIX HUNDRED is the number that is connected with WARFARE. Pharaoh pursued Israel with SIX HUNDRED chariots.

"And he took SIX HUNDRED chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them" (Exodus 14:7).

Israel, under Shamgar slew SIX HUNDRED of the Philistines with ox goads (Judges 3:31).

SIX HUNDRED of the soldiers of the tribe of Benjamin escaped slaughter in a battle and hid in the rock of Rimmon (Judges 20:46-47).

The Danites sent up SIX HUNDRED men with weapons of war to take the city of Laish (Judges 18:7-11).

Goliath's spear weighted SIX HUNDRED shekels of iron (I Samuel 17:7).

David had about SIX HUNDRED men with him when he was being pursued by Saul (I Kings 23:13).

With SIX HUNDRED men David pursued and defeated the Amalekites (I Samuel 30:1-18).

Six hundred just happens to be _sixty_ times _ten_ , the number of "pride" (Vallowe) times _a complete cycle_ (Bullinger). Coincidence, or does this characterize where we stand today?

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (NKJV)  
4 For **the weapons of our warfare** _are_ not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Revelation 19:19 (NKJV)  
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, **gathered together to make war against Him** who sat on the horse and against His army.

Brother and sister, we should understand that our "warfare" is not accomplished by physical means but rather spiritual, "for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). So, when we read that "the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies" gather together "to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army," it speaks of all, both secular and religious, who stand against the divine nature and efficacy of His Word (Rev. 9:13-21).

The "beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies" is our beast which rises out of the sea having "seven heads and ten horns" (Rev. 13:1). Seven _plus_ ten is _seventeen_ and we read, "The _seventeenth_ day of the month" in regard to Noah and the flood. Coincidence? Not at all. As we now understand, our "seven heads and ten horns" speaks of the _fullness_ (7 heads) and corresponding _excess_ (10 horns) which actually brings the "flood." This being the case, we should also consider the phrase, "The fountains of the great deep." These "fountains" speak of the hidden springs and sources of water found beneath the earth and represent that which flows out of the depths of the hearts of humankind, of "every imagination of the thoughts" of men's hearts being "only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). Ah, but in direct contrast we have the "windows of heaven" being "opened," indicative of the Word and blessings of God which fall upon those who have set their affections on "things above" (Col. 3:2). Again, our separation becomes evident and the Lord confirms this when He says, "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken (by the flood), and the other left (in the ark)" (Matt. 24:40; KJV).

Our "second month"? This is two, _division_ and _witness_ , and both are most certainly evident during this time as the separation (division) of the tares from the wheat produces the "witness" of the true kingdom of God on earth.

Finally, we have "forty days and forty nights." This aligns with what followed the Lord's baptism by John at the Jordan River.

Matthew 4:1-2 (NKJV)  
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted **forty days and forty nights** , afterward He was hungry.

Here's the spiritual meaning of _forty_ from Stephen Jones (emphasis mine).

Forty (mem)

Trial, Probation

The number forty in Hebrew was written with the letter mem (water, flowing or coming from). Forty is the number of trial or probation. When viewed as a time cycle, we find that Israel spent 40 years being tested and tried in the wilderness. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being tested of the devil. The number 40 can be viewed negatively in terms of the full 40 days/years of trial, but it can also be viewed positively in that it is the END of the time of trial or testing. In the positive sense, then, forty (i.e., mem) speaks of Israel crossing the Jordan River (water) after 40 years in the wilderness. In that sense also, Israel came from the wilderness and flowed into the Promised Land.

Forty is the product of eight and five. Eight is the number of New Beginnings, while five is grace. Thus, forty can be seen as entering grace after a period of trial, as well as the beginning of something new. Obviously, these are both factors in the cases of Israel and Jesus.

Likewise, Dr. Bullinger's Number in Scripture, p. 267, points out the fact that there are eight forty-day periods mentioned in the Bible. They are:

1. Forty days Moses in the mount (Ex. 24:18) to receive the law.

2. Forty days Moses in the mount after the Golden Calf incident (Deut. 9:18, 25).

3. Forty days of the spies (Num. 13:26; 14:34).

4. Forty days of Elijah in Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).

5. Forty days of Nineveh's probation (Jonah 3:4).

6. Forty days Ezekiel lay on his right side for Judah (Ez. 4:5).

7. Forty days Jesus was tempted of the devil (Matt. 4:2).

8. Forty days from Jesus' resurrection to His ascension (Acts 1:2).

The total of these eight forty-day periods is 320 days. Since 32 is the number of Covenant, we see a special connection with the idea of covenant. In fact, God made a covenant with Israel twice while they were in the wilderness. The Exodus covenant (Ex. 20) came at the beginning of their 40 years at Mount Horeb, and the second covenant (Deut. 29:1) came at the end of their 40 years in the wilderness of Moab, just before they entered the Promised Land.

These two covenants provided a double witness to the Old Covenant that God made with "the church in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38). Yet they prophesied of the two-fold aspect of the New Covenant while the New Testament Church spent 40 Jubilees in a wilderness of its own (33-1993 A.D.). The "Exodus" covenant was made at the cross through the feast of Passover, while the Deuteronomy covenant is made as we enter the Promised Land in the Age of the feast of Tabernacles.

Stephen Jones writes, "The number forty in Hebrew was written with the letter mem (water, flowing or coming from)." Water? As in flood? Ah, but this is different from the "fountains of the great deep." This speaks of "living water" flowing out from the people of God (John 4:10; Rev. 22:1).

Jones also tells us that forty "can also be viewed positively in that it is the END of the time of trial or testing" and that it "speaks of Israel crossing the Jordan River (water) after 40 years in the wilderness. In that sense also, Israel came from the wilderness and flowed into the Promised Land."

In Noah's time, all flesh was destroyed. In our time, all "flesh" will be destroyed as well, but not literally. Rather, the "last enemy" of death (I Cor. 15:26), that which is the essence of the mind of the flesh (Rom. 8:6), will be eradicated by the gospel of the kingdom.

# Chapter Eighteen

# THE ARK

Matthew 24:38 (NKJV)  
38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, **until the day that Noah entered the ark** ...

It is apparent that "eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage" continued "until the day that Noah" "entered the ark." In regard to "eating and drinking," Paul wrote, "For the kingdom of God _is not eating and drinking_ , but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 14:17). Far too long has the church been a "social" function centered on carnal things. It is time for her to awaken to the righteousness found in Christ.

Our word "ark" is defined by Strong's as, "A _box_ , i.e. the sacred _ark_ and that of Noah." The "sacred ark" refers to the Ark of the Covenant found in the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle of Moses (Exod. 25:10-22). Consider the following from _The Tabernacle of Moses_ by Kevin J. Conner (emphasis mine).

In the Old Testament God has set forth revelation of Divine truth in three distinct Arks. _Each of these Arks carries with it the thought of preservation_. The first Ark mentioned in the Scriptures is the Ark of Noah (Genesis 6:13-9:18). This Ark was made of gopher wood, pitched within and without. _It speaks most emphatically to us of preservation_ : for in it the animals and eight souls were _preserved_ from the water of judgment and death (I Peter 3:20).

The second Ark mentioned in the Old Testament is the Ark prepared for the baby Moses, which we will call the Ark of Moses (Exodus 2:3-6). This Ark was made of reeds and pitched within and without just as Noah's Ark. Here, too, _we see that the Ark was a means of preservation for the baby Moses from the waters of death_. It is interesting to note that the Hebrew word 'tebah' is used in reference to both the Ark of Noah and the Ark of Moses. The literal meaning of this word is, 'Box, chest, vessel, or ark.'

The third Ark referred to in the Bible is the Ark of the covenant. An altogether different Hebrew word is used when this Ark is referred to. The word used in reference to the Ark of the covenant is 'arown'. This word means 'chest or ark', but it also carries with it a couple of other connotations. In Genesis 50:26, this same word is used in regard to the coffin (mummy-case) of Joseph. In another reference in II Kings 12:10-11 we find this word used in reference to a money chest. However, this word is used most often in regard to the Ark of the covenant...

... The Ark of the Covenant was made of shittim wood, overlaid with gold within and without. _This Ark also carries with it the thought of preservation_. We see this particularly when the children of Israel were crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3-4). As the Ark led the way, _the children of Israel were preserved from the waters of the Jordan_ (death). In addition to this, _the thought of preservation_ is seen in regard to the Tables of the Law, the Golden Pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod that budded which were preserved in the Ark of the covenant.

It should be clear that whether we are considering the ark of Noah or the Ark of the Covenant, that both speak of "preservation." This is the spiritual meaning of our number 45.

Daniel 12:11-12 (NKJV)  
11 And from the time _that_ the **daily** _sacrifice_ **is taken away** , and the **abomination of desolation** is set up, _there shall be_ **one thousand two hundred and ninety days**. 12 Blessed _is_ he who waits, and comes to the **one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days**.

TIME & TIMES

1. 1,260 days

HALF A TIME (1,260 + 30)

2. 1,290 days ( _Half an hour_ [Rev. 8:1]; _dedication for rulership_ )

THE ARK; FLOOD (1,290 + 45)

3. 1,335 days ( _preservation_ )

The "daily sacrifice" was "taken away" through the death of Christ. Consider.

Hebrews 7:26-28 (ESV)  
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 **He has no need, like those high priests,** to offer sacrifices daily **, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since** he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Christ was the "Lamb of God" who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29). As the writer of Hebrews shows, "He has no need, like those high priests" of the Tabernacle of Moses, " _to offer sacrifices daily_ ," since "He did this _once for all_ when He offered up Himself." This tells us that the 1,260 days or "time and times" began at the cross of Christ. This is confirmed by Galatians, Chapter 4, verses 4 and 5.

We have defined our "abomination" as "one who sows discord" (Prov. 6:19). This too should be evident to all who are willing to look at Christianity in the raw and honest light of scripture. We are greatly divided due to a "haughty spirit." What follows this? "A fall" (Prov. 16:18). This speaks of "the falling away" of the church (II Thess. 2:3) due to the pride of man and the "mystery of lawlessness" (II Thess. 2:7), the "man of sin" who "opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped _, so that he sits as God in the temple of God,_ showing himself that he is God" (II Thess. 2:4).

When the 1,260 "days" have passed, we arrive at the "half" or "dividing of time," which defines the _separation_ of light _from_ darkness, the sheep _from_ the goats, and the wheat _from_ the tares. This is signified by our "30" (half an hour) added to the 1,260 which is summed up in our "1,290 days." Once this separation occurs, the "abomination of desolation" is "set up," i.e. _firmly established_ (II Thess. 2:4), just as it was in Jesus' time.

No doubt, the coming of Christ to His disciples was the most glorious thing that any of them could imagine, however, this same coming is what also exposed the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees. For this reason, I believe His coming at the end of the age will have the same effect. To those who are watching for His appearing, it will be glorious indeed, but for those who are asleep in the light and steeped in tradition, the appearance of Christ will expose their hypocrisy. In keeping with this thought, compare "abomination of desolation is set up" with II Thessalonians 2:4 where we read in regard to the "man of sin" that " _he sits_ as God in the temple of God." Consider the Lord's words.

Matthew 24:15 (NKJV)  
15 "Therefore when you see the _'abomination of desolation,'_ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, **standing** in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand)...

Here the Lord states " _standing_ in the holy place," the place of ministry, but our passages from II Thessalonians state "he sits." So the "man of sin" goes from "standing" to being _firmly seated_ or _established_ in the true "temple of God" which we are (I Cor. 3:16; see also II Cor. 11:13-15). This same understanding is reflected in the messages to the seven churches where we see "Satan's _throne_ " in Pergamos (Rev. 2:13), and "the _depths_ of Satan" in Thyatira (Rev. 2:24).

Our understanding is further confirmed by the Lord's admonition against the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew, Chapter 23, where He ends His discourse with, "Behold, your house is left to you _desolate_ " (Matt. 23:38). Would this not accurately describe the consequences of this "abomination," of "one," _collectively_ , "who sows discord"? Of course.

Also in Matthew, Chapter 23, the Lord uses the word "hypocrites" _six_ times. Bullinger tells us that the spiritual meaning of _six_ "is either 4 plus 2, i.e., man's world (4) with man's enmity to God (2) brought in: or it is 5 plus 1, the grace of God made of none effect by man's addition to it, or perversion, or corruption of it: or it is 7 minus 1, i.e., man's coming short of spiritual perfection. In any case, therefore, it has to do with man; it is the number of imperfection; the human number; the number of MAN as destitute of God, without God, without Christ." Coincidence?

Our word "hypocrites" is defined as, "An _actor under_ an assumed character ( _stage-player_ ), i.e. (figurative) a _dissembler_ (" _hypocrite_ ")." Consider Vincent's treatment of the word.

Hypocrites (ὑποκριταί)

From ὑποκρίνω, to separate gradually; so of separating the truth from a mass of falsehood, and thence to subject to inquiry, and, as a result of this, to expound or interpret what is elicited. Then, to reply to inquiry, and so to answer on the stage, to speak in dialogue, to act. From this the transition is easy to assuming, feigning, playing a part. The hypocrite is, therefore, etymologically, an actor.

Our word "dissembler" means, "To give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of" and, "To put on the appearance of; feign" (Dictionary.com). How many today are "assuming, feigning, playing a part" in order to amass great amounts of money in the name of Christ? Brother and sister, beware of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing who are nothing more than actors, dissemblers, and hypocrites. Know that many of them are well-versed at what they do.

TIME & TIMES

1. 1,260 days

HALF A TIME (1,260 + 30)

2. 1,290 days ( _Half an hour_ [Rev. 8:1]; _dedication for rulership_ )

THE ARK; FLOOD (1,290 + 45)

3. 1,335 days ( _preservation_ )

As indicated, I identify "half a time" with the "half an hour" of Revelation 8:1. Please consider.

Revelation 8:1-2 (NKJV)  
1 When He opened the **seventh** seal **, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour**. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

The "half an hour" takes place once the seventh seal is opened. The _opening_ of the seals speaks of the _revelation_ or _disclosure_ of what is to come (Rev. 4:1) and the _seventh_ seal speaks of our _fullness_ and _complete_ disclosure, of all seven prophecies opened or revealed, for it is the last of the seals. Therefore, all that is prophesied by the Lord to the churches is shown to John. There is nothing left to be said, so we have "silence in heaven."

Following this, we find "the seven angels who stand before God." I am inclined to believe that these are the seven angels to the seven churches (Rev. 1:16, 20), i.e. the _elect_. After all, they set the precedent for the prophecies to the churches. Remember, John was told to "write" to the angel of each church.

"And to them were given seven trumpets." The seven trumpets represent the unfolding or _coming to pass_ of each of the seven prophecies, so the _seventh_ and _final_ prophecy speaks of "the dispensation of the _fullness_ of the times," which would be "the end of the age" (Matt. 24:3). This being the case, then the seven angels with the seven trumpets define the elect throughout the history of the church, those who have ears to "hear" or understand "what the Spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). Those at the "end of the age" will be in complete agreement with those at the "beginning" and will receive the same reward (Matt. 20:1-16). Those who are found at the end of the age are the "book written within" (future; we which are alive and remain; I Thess. 4:15, 17) who stand united with those "on the backside" (the past; them which are asleep; I Thess. 4:15, 17).

I am inclined to believe that the "silence in heaven" also coincides with the following.

Revelation 7:1-4 (NKJV)  
1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, **that the wind should not blow** ( _silence_ ) on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, " **Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads**." 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred _and_ forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel _were_ sealed...

What does _thirty_ represent? "Dedication for rulership." Stephen Jones tells us that _thirty_ "was the age which God established as _the age of rulership_ for priests (Num. 4:23). Joseph was elevated to power _at the age of 30_ , as we read in Genesis 41:46... _David was also thirty_ when he became king, as we read in II Sam. 5:4." This corresponds with the 144,000, where the "servants of our God" are "sealed." Note that "the wind should not blow" until this happens which agrees with our "silence in heaven." These same servants are later found in Revelation, Chapter 14.

Revelation 14:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him **one hundred** _and_ **forty-four thousand** , having His Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the **hundred** _and_ **forty-four thousand** who were redeemed from the earth. 4 **These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins**. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being **firstfruits** to God and to the Lamb. 5 And **in their mouth was found no deceit** , for they are without fault before the throne of God.

In Revelation 7, the servants are sealed _before_ the four winds are loosed. After this, the four angels (and four winds) _are_ "loosed." This is in Revelation 9:14 where we read, "Loose the four angels which are bound in _the great river Euphrates_." In Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament, we are told that, " _The Euphrates was known as the great River, the River,_ _the Flood_." Coincidence? I don't think so.

Once the four angels and winds are released, then the servants, as well as all of God's people, must pass through them (four severe judgments; Ezek. 14:12-23; see I Peter 4:17). For this reason we read the following after the servants have been sealed. "After these things I looked, and behold, _a great multitude which no one could number_ " (Rev. 7:9). One of the elders then reveals to John that, " _These are they which came out of great tribulation_ " (Rev. 7:14).

It is not until we reach Revelation, Chapter 14, that we find our servants or elect "on Mount Zion," "having His Father's name _written on their foreheads_." This denotes the mind of Christ which is essential for rulership and corresponds with the "day that Noah _entered_ the ark" (Matt. 24:38). The ark speaks of _preservation_ and shows how one is preserved during this time of great distress. Only the mind of Christ can keep us from the rising waters of man's rebellion against His Maker. This is why the angel told Daniel, "Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days" (Dan. 12:12). This statement connects to the following.

Revelation 20:6 (ESV)  
6 **Blessed** and holy **is the one who shares in the first resurrection**! Over such the **second death** has no power, **but they will be priests** of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Our 1,335 is our final number. No other numbers follow. It is our 1,260 (time and times) + 30 (half a time; _dedication for rulership_ ) + 45 (ark; testimony; _preservation_ ). "Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection!" Just as Noah was lifted up by the waters of the flood, so too are the elect lifted up.

Verse 6 above gives us a key to understanding the "second death." Let's follow the logic. If the "four winds of the earth" are not permitted to "blow" until the servants are sealed in Revelation, Chapter 7, verses 1 through 3, then the "four winds" symbolize the "second death." This is confirmed by Revelation 7:2 where we read, "And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to _hurt_ the earth and the sea," as well as verse 3 where we read, " _Hurt_ not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads" (KJV). Bring this to the message of Smyrna where Jesus said, "He that overcometh shall not be _hurt_ of the _second death_ " (Rev. 2:11; KJV). Again, the understanding of the "four winds" held by the four angels is given us in Ezekiel, Chapter 14, verses 12 through 23, which are the " _four severe judgments upon Jerusalem_ " (Ezek. 14:21), His people, in order to bring forth His righteousness in a "remnant" (Ezek. 14:22-23). Our word "remnant" points to the "elect" (Rom. 11:5, 7, 16).

"Priests," as in _thirty_. "Blessed" as in " _blessed_ is he who waits." _Preservation_ , even as Noah and his family were preserved from the waters of death which saturated the world around them. Ah, but today it is not literal water that is rising. As mentioned before, it is a flood of _deception_ (Rev. 12:15) and _lawlessness_ (Matt. 24:12), unparalleled since there has been a nation. In the midst of the greatest technological advances the world has ever seen, we are becoming overwhelmed by chaos and misery, darkness and destruction. Despite the many conveniences which has made our lives so much easier, we have managed to become more self-absorbed, self-entitled, and self-righteous than ever, just like the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' time.

Like the "days of Noah," many of the "sons of God" have joined themselves to the "daughters of men," committing themselves to the great denominations and religious organizations of our time for the sake of money and power. These are the fallen sons or "stars" which Jesus refers to in Matthew 24:29.

The earth is filled with violence, so much so that our children are no longer safe. Active shooters abound and terrorist acts are more common than ever. Our government officials are at constant war with one another and with the leaders of other countries. There are drug cartels, murders, human trafficking, sex slaves, pedophilia, homosexuality, domestic violence, child abuse, suicide, drug addiction, abortion, homelessness, starvation, and an influx of diseases and so-called pharmaceutical solutions beyond anything which we've ever seen. "All flesh has" truly "corrupted their way on the earth" (Gen. 6:12).

Let us pay close attention to the words of John concerning the seventh trumpet which is also called the "third woe."

Revelation 11:14-15 (ESV)  
14 The **second woe** has passed; behold, the **third woe** is soon to come. 15 **Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet** , and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."

Compare these passages with the following from Daniel.

Daniel 2:44-45 (ESV)  
44 And **in the days of those kings** (ten toes/horns; Rev. 17:12-14) **the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed** , nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure."

In agreement with our "ten horns" or "kings" on the beast of the sea, we find in Daniel that "in the days of those kings (ten toes/horns; _flood_ ) the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed." "The dream is _certain_ , and its interpretation _sure_."

# Chapter Nineteen

# THE SEVENTH TRUMPET

The _seventh_ trumpet is the _final_ trumpet and as we know speaks of the " _fullness_ of the times," the _unfolding_ of the _seventh_ and _final_ prophecy which was delivered to Laodicea.

Didn't Paul tell us, "He will _finish_ (7) the work and _cut it short_ in righteousness" (Rom. 9:28)? As we have found, this cutting short denotes our " _half_ a time," which I believe signifies the "light" of "day" as seen in His elect (I Thess. 5:5), the "power and great glory" of the chosen of God who inherit the first resurrection (Matt. 24:30) and thus bring true eternal life to His body, the church. You see, my friend, just as Christ came in the flesh and exhibited the power and glory of our Heavenly Father, so too has He been preparing a company of sons who will do the same. The deliverance _of_ Christ will come _through_ His Christ, _through His anointed sons_ who have laid down their lives for the gospel of the kingdom (Heb. 2:10).

Daniel 12:1-4 (NKJV)  
1 "At that time **Michael** shall stand up, the great **prince** who stands _watch_ over the **sons** of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, _even_ to that time. And at that time **your people shall be delivered** , **every one who is found written in the book**. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame _and_ everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. 4 "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

What Jesus taught in Matthew, Chapter 24, aligns with what the Lord told Daniel in our passages above.

First, our word "Michael." This name means, " _Who_ (is) _like God_." Tradition sees this as an individual archangel if you will, however, I believe it is speaking symbolically and collectively. This is suggested by the name itself and our words "prince" and "sons." The word "prince" means, "A _head_ person (of any rank or class)," and "sons" means, "A _son_ (as a _builder_ of the family name)." Our "sons of God" (firstfruits) _are the first to rise from the dead_ , to "awake" to "everlasting life" and exhibit the true life of Christ to the world. For this reason, they are "like God" (I John 3:2; Matt. 5:48; Luke 6:40; I Cor. 13:10). After all, you must first possess life before you can give it to others. They are "every one that shall be found written in the book," confirmed by Revelation 3:5, 20:15, and 21:27. What did Jesus say in regard to the "sons"? " _Nor can they die anymore_ , for they are _equal to the angels_ and are _sons of God_ , being _sons of the resurrection_ " (Luke 20:36).

"And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time." This corresponds with Matthew, Chapter 24, verses 21 and 22, where Jesus said, "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never shall be" (ESV). He then goes on to warn, " _Then_ if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, _even the elect_." So "at that time" God's people "shall be delivered," again those who are "found written in the book."

"And many of those who _sleep in the dust_ shall awake." We are inclined to think that this speaks of physical death, however, consider the following.

1 Corinthians 15:45-49 (NKJV)  
45 And so it is written, _"_ _The first man Adam_ _became a living being_ (soul; KJV) _."_ The last Adam _became_ a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, **but the natural** , and afterward the spiritual. 47 **The first man** _was_ **of the earth,** _made_ **of dust** ; the second Man _is_ the Lord from heaven. 48 **As** _was_ **the** _man_ **of dust, so also** _are_ **those** _who are made_ **of dust** ; and as _is_ the heavenly _Man,_ so also _are_ those _who are_ heavenly. 49 **And as we have borne the image of the** _man_ **of dust** , we shall also bear the image of the heavenly _Man._

The "first man" speaks of Adam in the book of Genesis who represents the "natural man" in all of us who is unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:14). This "first man" is "of the earth, _made of dust_ " and without exception, all of us "have borne the _image_ of the _man of dust_ ," the _reflection_ of carnality, sin, and rebellion which is evidence of the fact that, though we are alive in Christ by faith (Eph. 2:5), we are still " _dead_ in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). What is true according to God's Word is not yet true in our experience.

So what is resurrection? Is it not the "dead" being raised? This being the case, then resurrection speaks of the end of the "old man," that "man of sin," and the rise of the "new man" (Eph. 2:15; 4:24; Col. 3:10) in the liberty of His Spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:50-52 (ESV)  
50 I tell you this, brothers: **flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God** , nor does **the perishable inherit the imperishable**. 51 Behold! **I tell you a mystery**. **We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed** , 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, **at the last trumpet**. For **the trumpet will sound** , and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

Our "flesh and blood" bodies are "perishable," therefore "flesh and blood" does not "inherit the kingdom of God," _our spirits do_. We have been asleep "in spirit" for some time now (Matt. 13:25), evidenced by the excessive sin in our churches, society, and across the world. There is a great need to "awake to righteousness" (I Cor. 15:34), to be endued with power from on high that we might bear the true testimony of Christ to the world. This will be the edict of the sons of God, and I believe that they will be the "sounding" or _unfolding_ of the _seventh_ and _final_ trumpet. "These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, _and in their_ mouth _no lie was found_ , for they are blameless" (Rev. 14:4-5; ESV). "No lie" my friend, no confusion and no uncertainty about those things which pertain to the kingdom of God, "for if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle?" (I Cor. 14:8) "We do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). Know, beloved, that the sons will bring the necessary clarity that is needed to turn us from our unrighteousness. "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout," His voice heard _through those who are preserved in the ark_ as Noah and his family were.

Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV)  
7 **By faith** Noah, **being divinely warned of things not yet seen** , **moved with godly fear** , **prepared an ark for the saving of his household** , by which he condemned the world and **became** heir **of the righteousness which is according to faith**.

Revelation 11:19 (NKJV)  
19 Then **the temple of God was opened in heaven** , and **the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple**. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

"By faith" Noah "moved with godly fear" and "prepared an ark for the saving of his household." I can only imagine what his family, friends, and neighbors thought, scratching their heads in bewilderment as Noah built the ark in accordance with the Word which had been given him. A flood? Not likely, for nothing like it had ever happened before. But this didn't stop Noah from believing God's Word and because of his faith he "became heir of the _righteousness which is according to faith_."

"The ark of His covenant" in Revelation 11:19 speaks of the Ark of the Covenant found in the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle of Moses. Reconsider the following from _The Tabernacle of Moses_ by Kevin J. Conner (emphasis mine).

This Ark of the Covenant was made of shittim wood, overlaid with gold within and without. _This Ark also carries with it the thought of preservation_. We see this particularly when the children of Israel were crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3-4). As the Ark led the way, the children of Israel were preserved from the waters of the Jordan (death). In addition to this, _the thought of preservation_ is seen in regard to the Tables of the Law, the Golden Pot of Manna and Aaron's Rod that budded which were preserved in the Ark of the Covenant.

How many items were in the Ark? _Three_ , denoting _resurrection_ ; the Tables of the Law, the Golden Pot of Manna, and Aaron's Rod. This speaks to us of the law of God (Tables of the Law) which has become spiritual through the true bread of heaven, Christ (Golden Pot of Manna; John 6:58) and results in resurrection (Aaron's Rod that budded). This is His divine process in His people, reflected in the universal principle of sowing and reaping (I Cor. 15:35-44).

Beloved, the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle speaks of the heart, of our spirit within, therefore, resurrection _is by His Spirit within us_. We are heading for a change. Righteousness is assured.

# Chapter Twenty

# THE BOOK

Daniel 12:1-4 (NKJV)  
1 "... And at that time your people shall be delivered, **every one who is found written in the book**. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame _and_ everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. 4 "But you, Daniel, **shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end** ; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."

Our phrase "shut up" means, "To _keep secret_." Our word "seal" agrees, meaning, "To _close_ up." Our word "book" means, " _Writing_ (the art or a document)."

No doubt, this "book" is extremely important, for "every one who is found written" in it will be those who are "delivered." They are the ones "who are wise" and "shine like the brightness of the firmament" and "turn many to righteousness." Is it a book of names? Perhaps, but when it comes to the kingdom of God, there is but one name which is important and that is the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

Daniel was told to "shut up the words, and seal the book _until the time of the end_ ," i.e. the fullness of the times.

Revelation 1:10-11 (NKJV)  
10 **I was in the Spirit** on **the Lord's Day** , and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, " **What you see, write in a book** and send _it_ to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."

The Lord told John, "What you see, write in a book." Why? Because it reflects the same understanding as that in Daniel, an understanding of "the fullness of the times," the "end of the age" or "time of the end." No wonder John finished with, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book" (Rev. 22:18-19; NIV).

How did John begin his book? "The _revelation_ of _Jesus Christ_ , which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place" (Rev. 1:1; NIV). Friend, this is not just any book! It is a book concerning the "revelation" or _disclosure_ of "Jesus Christ," a book unlike any other in the Bible, written and ordained for "the time of the end"! It was given "to show His servants what must soon take place."

Revelation 1:3 (NKJV)  
3 **Blessed** _is_ **he who reads** and **those who hear the words of this prophecy** , and **keep those things which are written in it** ; for the time _is_ near.

"What you see, write in a book," and again, I emphasize that John begins with, "The _revelation_ of Jesus Christ." He then follows with a _threefold_ injunction:

Blessed is...

1. ... he who _reads_ ...

2. ... those who _hear_ the words of this prophecy...

3. ... and _keep_ those things which are written in it.

What is _three_? The number of _resurrection_ , so our description speaks of those who attain resurrection life because they _read_ , _hear_ , and _keep_ those things which are written in the book of the revelation of Jesus Christ. No wonder so many are drawn to this book.

Once we enter into the book of the Revelation, we find another "book" that follows the prophecies to the seven churches. Please consider.

Revelation 4:1-2; 5:1-2 (ESV)  
1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, " **Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this**." 2 **At once I was in the Spirit** , and behold, **a throne** stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne... 1 Then I saw **in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll** (book; KJV) **written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals**. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, " **Who is worthy to open the scroll** (book; KJV) **and break its seals**?"

In Revelation, Chapter 1, we find John "in the Spirit on the Lord's Day" (Rev. 1:10), but here we find John taken even higher, to the very "throne" of God itself! "In the _right hand_ of him who was seated on the throne", he sees a _book_ (KJV), "written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals." Our "seven" immediately points to our _fullness_ and the "right hand" denotes the _power_ and _authority_ of the kingdom of God (Rev. 2:26-27). We then see a "strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to _open_ the scroll (book; KJV) and _break_ (loose; KJV) its seals?'" Just a few verses later we read, "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll (book; KJV) and its seven seals" (Rev. 5:5; ESV). This is none other than Christ the Lord (Rev. 5:6).

Revelation 5:7 (KJV)  
7 And **he came and took the book** out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Why did the Lord take the book from the right hand of the Father? Consider.

John 4:34 (NKJV)  
34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to **do the will of Him** who sent Me, **and to finish His work**.

Friend, the ministry of Christ is _twofold_. It began with His earthly ministry which is recorded in the New Testament. However, it didn't end there, for the Lord's desire is "to _finish_ " the work of our Father. Is this not a seven? It is, so no wonder we find the Lord at the throne of God taking the book "sealed with _seven_ seals" from the right hand of the Father in order to "finish" or _complete_ (7) what He began almost two thousand years ago. Who but Christ alone is "worthy" to perform such a work? It's for this reason that I believe the Lord has been fulfilling the words of Revelation since His ascension at the Jordan River. Ascension? Yes, for it was there that the "heavens" were opened to Him and He was declared to be the "Son of God with power" by the Father Himself (Rom. 1:4). From that moment on, His power and authority came directly from the throne of heaven (John 3:13).

When we step into Chapter 6 of Revelation, we find the opening of the seals. What follows this makes up the rest of Revelation. This confirms that the book sealed with seven seals defines the "work" of the Father which began with His Son and continues to this present time. As we have learned, the "dispensation" or _administration_ of "the fullness of the times" is solely of Christ. Ah, but "as the body is one and has many members, but all members of that one body, being many, are one body, _so also is Christ_ " (I Cor. 12:12). He alone is finishing the work of our Father according to all that has been written in "the words of the prophecy of this book" (Rev. 22:18), but He is doing it through His people.

Finally, consider that the book of "the Revelation of Jesus Christ" is where we find our "book written _within_ and on the _backside_ , sealed with seven seals" (Rev. 1:1; 5:1; KJV). So we have _a book within a book_ , a "wheel in the middle of a wheel" (Ezek. 1:16), the eternal (wheel) law of God (Old Covenant) wrapped in the eternal (wheel) and spiritual nature (New Covenant) of that law. We are heading for a great and wondrous change, my friend, a great and wondrous change!

# Chapter Twenty-One

# THE BOOK OF LIFE

When we realize that the book sealed with seven seals defines the work of our Father, then we'll find that this points to what the Bible calls "the book of life." This phrase, "book of life," is found just _eight_ times in the King James New Testament, _seven_ of these in the book of the Revelation. Coincidence?

The first mention of this phrase in Revelation is found in the prophecy to Sardis, the _fifth_ church. John writes, "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments _, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life_ ; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels" (Rev. 3:5). So one must overcome in order to remain in the "book of life." This seems to agree with the Lord's words in Matthew 24 where He said, "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matt. 24:13; KJV).

I've noted in other studies and wish to emphasize in this one that all of the conditions found in the church which cause her to _fall away_ are found in the _first four churches_. This aligns with the first four trumpets in Revelation. When we arrive at the fifth church, Sardis, we find the Lord saying, "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, _but you are dead_. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God" (Rev. 3:1-2).

When we compare the words of Christ to the fifth church with that of the fifth trumpet, we find that this is the _first_ of three woes, separating the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets from the first four. Remember too that the fifth trumpet reveals the "bottomless pit" (Rev. 9:1-12), the spirit of discontent and destruction which permeates our present society.

We should also remember that the fifth, sixth, and seventh seals and trumpets also coincide with our three segments of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Revelation 8:13 (NKJV)  
13 And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, " **Woe** , **woe** , **woe** to the inhabitants of the earth, because of **the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound**!"

Sardis is the result of the rise of Satan in the church which causes her to fall away (Rev. 2:2, 9, 10, 13, 24; 18:2). In direct contrast, Philadelphia speaks of the overcomers in each. When you bring Sardis together with Philadelphia, you have a mixture of "cold" and "hot," of "goats" and "sheep," and "tares" and "wheat." This is all six churches together whose "fullness" is illustrated by the seventh church of Laodicea.

Matthew 13:24-26 (NKJV)  
24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 **But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared**.

Do you see it? "When the grain," or good seed, "had sprouted and produced a crop, _then the tares also appeared_." This confirms our perspective of the "cold" (Sardis) and "hot" (Philadelphia), the "tares" (Sardis) and "wheat" (Philadelphia), signified by Laodicea.

Matthew 13:27-30 (NKJV)  
27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' 29 But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 **Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn**." ' "

"At the time of harvest" or end of the age, the Lord will "say to the reapers, 'First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them.'" Earlier in this study, we found that this correlates with what Jesus said in the Parable of the Sheep and Goats where the "goats" are placed at the "left" hand of the Father, indicative of the law of God. Jesus then states, "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, _you who are cursed_ , into the _eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels_.'"

Beloved, the "eternal fire" of God is the "eternal" nature of the "fiery law" of our Creator (Deut. 33:2), for "our God is a _consuming fire_ " (Heb. 12:29; Deut. 4:24). Isn't His Word "like a fire" and "like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" (Jer. 23:29) Remember, the law of God is both moral and prophetic, so it defines the purpose of our heavenly Father. This being true then "you who are cursed" speaks of those who remain under the "works of the law" (Gal. 3:10) until such time that they are brought to Christ and His righteousness (Rom. 10:4). This correlates with Daniel where we read, "Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked," or _tares_ , "will continue to be wicked. _None of the wicked will understand_ , but those who are wise will understand" (Dan. 12:10).

Jesus states, "At the time of harvest _I will say to the reapers_." Though it is Christ who administrates, He delegates the harvest to "the reapers" and "the reapers are the angels" (Matt. 13:39). This would be the "sons of God" who are "equal to the angels" (Luke 20:36). The seven "angels" of the seven churches define these "sons" as those who overcome in each church. We find confirmation in the following passages.

Revelation 20:11-15 (KJV)  
11 **And I saw a great white throne** , and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: **and another book was opened, which is** _the book_ **of life** : and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 **And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire**.

What did Jesus promise the overcomers in Thyatira? "To him _I will give power over the nations_ —' _He shall rule them with a rod of iron_ ; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'—as I also have received from My Father" (Rev. 2:26-27). What did Jesus promise the overcomers in Laodicea? "To him who overcomes _I will grant to sit with Me on My throne_ , as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne" (Rev. 3:21). What did Jesus say to Sardis? "You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and _they shall walk with Me in white_ , for _they are worthy_ (compare this to Luke 20:35). He who overcomes _shall be clothed in white garments_ , and _I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life_ " (Rev. 3:4-5).

"Walk with me in white"? "Clothed in white garments"?

Revelation 19:8 (KJV)  
8 And to her (the body of Christ) was granted that **she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white** : for **the fine linen is the** righteousness **of saints**.

"Fine linen, clean and white," and "the fine linen" speaks of "the righteousness of saints." So it is that John saw "a great _white_ throne," consisting of Christ _and_ His bride, made righteous by His anointed sons (firstfruits), the angels of the churches who are the "stars" in His "right hand" (Rev. 1:20). They are the ones who are "wise" and "turn" the "many" who are called "to righteousness" (Dan. 12:3). They are the ones responsible for the judgment of His church (Rev. 17:1) so that she can become the "light of the world" (Matt. 5:14).

2 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NIV)  
1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 **You yourselves are our letter** , written on our hearts, **known and read by everybody**. 3 **You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts**.

Do you see it? The "book of life" is opened at the great white throne because the book of life _is_ the great white throne, _consisting of Christ in His people_. It is not a book of pages where names are written, but a people who are a dynamic "letter from Christ," "written not with ink _but with the Spirit of the living God_ , not on tablets of stone but _on tablets of human hearts_."

The throne of God declares the righteous nature of God and His righteous nature is declared through the hearts and lives of His people. Righteousness, my friend, _is a present state of being_. The greatest testimony of truth is always in people, for that is where we turn to find deliverance. No wonder Paul wrote, "The creation waits in eager expectation _for the sons of God to be revealed_ " (Rom. 8:19). Sonship is our inheritance and sonship is assured, for the Word has declared it. Have faith in His Word, brothers and sisters, for the revealing of the sons of God will be "with power and great glory" (Matt. 24:30), for the "sign of _the Son of man in heaven_ " speaks of those in whom the law becomes spiritual (Rom. 7:14).

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened." Perhaps I'm wrong but I believe the "books" to be the Bible itself, for it contains the essence of all that is needed for reconciliation (Gal. 4:21-31).

"And another book was opened, which is the book of life." Again, these are the sons of God, the sons of the resurrection, who by the Spirit of truth are able to open to His people the true understanding of the "books" or Bible and clear away all the confusion that exists at this time.

"And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Here again is a reason for believing that the "books" speak of the written Word of God, for what other "books" would they be? Understand that in its simplest form, the Old Covenant declares the law of God while the New Covenant declares the spiritual nature of it. They are two sides of the same coin, two edges of the same "sword" (Heb. 4:12). Contained within His Two Covenants is His purpose in His people from beginning to end (Gal. 4:21-31). Like our "book" within a "book," the Old Covenant is encircled in the New, a "wheel in the middle of a wheel" (Ezek. 1:16). "The law of the LORD is perfect, _converting the soul_ : the testimony of the LORD is sure, _making wise the simple_ " (Psalms 19:7; KJV). There is no greater wisdom than that which is found in the Bible when the Spirit of truth is present.

Revelation 3:12 (NIV)  
12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. **I will write on him** the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and **I will also write on him** my new name.

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus _write_ " (Rev. 2:1). "To the angel of the church in Smyrna _write_ " (Rev. 2:8). "To the angel" of each church, " _write_ " (Rev. 2:12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14). Friend, the "writing" of Christ is the execution of His living and powerful Word working in and through the hearts of His people. No wonder John wrote, " _In the beginning was the Word_ , and the Word was with God, _and the Word was God_ " (John 1:1). There is no other Word on earth like the Word of our Maker, immutable and undeniable, "and to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Eph. 3:21).

Hebrews 8:1-13 (NIV)  
1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, **who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,** 2 **and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man**. 3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." 6 **But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is** mediator **is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises**. 7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that **first covenant** , no place would have been sought for another. 8 But God found fault with the people and said: "The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a **new covenant** with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. 10 **This is the covenant** I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. **I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts**. **I will be their God, and they will be my people**. 11 **No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest**. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." 13 By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.

# Chapter Twenty-Two

# LAZARUS

Let's view our illustration one more time and let me share something with you that ties to the story of Lazarus and aligns with our fullness of the times.

First of all, look at the number of "days" in regard to our "time and times and half a time." Since our branches represent "days," how many do we have from Pentecost to Tabernacles? _Four_. Keep this in mind. Now, here's our story of Lazarus.

John 11:1-17 (ESV)  
1 Now a certain man was ill, **Lazarus** of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, " **This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it**." 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 **So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was**. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, " **Let us go to Judea again**." 8 The disciples said to him, " **Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again**?" 9 Jesus answered, " **Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world**. 10 **But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him**." 11 After saying these things, he said to them, " **Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him**." 12 The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." 13 **Now Jesus had spoken of his death** , but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, " **Lazarus has died** , 15 **and for your** sake **I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe**. But let us go to him." 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him." 17 **Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.**

First of all, we must think about the fact that Jesus did nothing without purpose. This is made evident once Jesus was told that Lazarus was ill and, " _He stayed two days longer in the place where He was_. After this, He said to the disciples, 'Let us go to Judea again.'" The disciples then asked Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" The Lord's answer is not at all what one would expect and He says, "Are there not _twelve hours_ in the _day_? _If anyone walks in the day_ , he does not stumble _, because he sees the light of this world_. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." In the Lord's answer, we immediately have a reference to "divine government" (12 hours) as typified by a "day" of the Lord, so there is a lesson here in regard to both.

"After saying these things, He said to them, 'Our friend Lazarus _has fallen asleep_ , but I go to awaken him.'" This statement aligns with the Parable of the Tares where we read, "But _while men slept_ , his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way" (Matt. 13:25).

The disciples thought that Jesus was being literal until "Jesus told them plainly, 'Lazarus has died, _and for your_ sake _I am glad that I was not there_ , so that you may believe. But let us go to him.'" This statement confirms that Jesus had a distinct purpose for waiting to go to His friend Lazarus and also correlates with the church in Sardis where Jesus said, "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, _but you are dead_ " (Rev. 3:1).

Here's the kicker. "Now when Jesus came, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb _four days_." "Four days"? As in our "four days" from Pentecost to Tabernacles? As I mentioned before, Jesus did nothing without purpose, and in keeping with the spiritual fulfillment of the law and the prophets, Jesus intentionally waited until Lazarus had been dead for "four days" before He arrived.

The name "Lazarus" means, " _God_ (is) _helper_." Now, consider the following from _New Unger's Bible Dictionary_ about the name "Bethany."

BETH´ANY (beth´a-ni; "house, place of unripe figs").

1. A place on the E of the Jordan, the name of which is substituted in the NASB and NIV for Beth-abara (see also John 1:28).

2. A village situated on the eastern slope of Mt. Olivet, fifteen furlongs (about one and one-half miles) from Jerusalem. It is called also the house of misery on account of its lonely situation and the invalids who congregated there. It was the home of Lazarus and was associated with important events in Scripture history (Matthew 21:17; Matthew 26:6; Mark 11:11; Mark 14:3; Luke 24:50; John 11:1; John 12:1); called now Azariyeh, or Lazariyeh, "the place of Lazarus."

bibliography: W. M. Thompson, _The Land and the Book_ (1886), 1:347, 367, 406, 408-16; J. Finegan, _Archaeology of the New Testament_ (1969), pp. 89-95, 238.

With the idea of "house, _place of unripe figs_ " in mind, consider the following.

Revelation 6:13 (KJV)  
13 And the **stars of heaven** fell unto the earth, even **as a fig tree casteth her untimely** (unripe) **figs** , when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Lazarus lived in Bethany, the "place of unripe figs." As we know, the fig tree speaks of the law and those under it (which is all the world at this time; Rom. 3:19). "Unripe figs" aligns with the Lord's remark in Matthew 24:32 where He states, "Now learn this parable from the fig tree."

Revelation 6:13 is found within the _sixth_ seal and denotes what happens _as fullness is about to be reached_ in the seventh seal. Now, what represents fullness? The first ripe fruit or "firstfruits," so the idea of "untimely (unripe) figs" reveals that our Lord waited to go to Lazarus to show that fullness, in alignment with the Father's will, must first be reached before He returns. When He does return, "many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake," just as Lazarus did when Jesus called to him. Let's continue.

John 11:17-27 (ESV)  
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb **four days**. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 **So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house**. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." 23 Jesus said to her, " **Your brother will rise again**." 24 Martha said to him, " **I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day**." 25 Jesus said to her, " **I am the resurrection and the life**. **Whoever believes in me, though he** die **, yet shall he live,** 26 **and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die**. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."

The name "Martha" means, " _Mistress_ " while the name "Mary" is taken from a Hebrew word which means, " _Rebelliously_." It was Martha who, when she heard that Jesus was coming, "went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house." I cannot help but think of the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew, Chapter 25, where "five of them were wise (Martha), and five were foolish (Mary)" (Matt. 25:2). Both women typify the church, His body, and their corresponding reaction to "meet the bridegroom" (Matt. 25:1).

What did Jesus tell Martha? "Your brother will rise again," and Martha responds, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." The Lord's response? "I am," _not will be_ , "the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and _everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die_." Doesn't this coincide with what Jesus said in regard to those who are "counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead" who cannot "die anymore" (Luke 20:34-37)?

John 11:28-44 (ESV)  
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, " **Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died**." 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" 37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?" 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." **Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days."** 40 Jesus said to her, " **Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?** " 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, **that they may believe that you sent me**." 43 When he had said these things, **he cried out with a loud voice** , "Lazarus, come out." 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

What did Mary say to Jesus? "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Ah, but remember, Jesus had waited "two days longer" after He heard about Lazarus. Why? In order to fulfill the Word of God perfectly as indicated by the Lord's statements to Martha. Friend, the act of raising Lazarus was a message to you and me of the "last day" and the resurrection from the dead, of the spiritual fulfillment of Tabernacles which is contained in the second, third, and _fourth_ branches or "days" seen on our lampstand. Jesus waited "two days," indicative of the Day of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement in order to arrive at the fourth or "last day" in order to show the "glory of God" (Tabernacles proper). Reflected in this is the ministry of the sons of God who will receive resurrection life first in order to bring it to the church so that they will truly believe that they are sent of God.

"He cried out with a _loud voice_ , 'Lazarus, come out.'" I believe this correlates with the following.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV)  
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, **concerning those who have fallen asleep** , lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 **For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even** so **God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus**. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive _and_ remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For **the** Lord **Himself** will descend from heaven with a shout, with **the voice of an archangel** , and **with the trumpet of God**. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then **we who are alive** _and_ **remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds** to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 **Therefore comfort one another with these words**.

Lazarus is symbolic of "those who have fallen asleep" but his name means, "God is helper." How many days was he in the tomb? Four, to the point of having an odor. Would this not represent "corruption" in the fullest sense of the word? Ah, but it is _then_ that Jesus raised him from the dead to show the glory of God and prove that God had sent Him. The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus also confirms our perspective.

Luke 16:19-20 (NKJV)  
19 "There was **a certain rich man** who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was **a certain beggar named Lazarus** , full of sores, who was laid at his gate...

I will not get into all the details of this parable at this time, but I wish to point out the parallel with that of the Laodicean church. Please consider.

Revelation 3:16-17 (NKJV)  
16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because **you** say, ' **I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing** '--and **do not know** that **you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked** ...

Do we not see "a certain rich man" in the statement, "Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'"? Do we not see "a certain beggar named Lazarus" in the statement, "And do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked"? Once fullness is reached we are in great need of God to help us, to lift us up out of the corruption we have seen increase for "four days."

Paul tells us that "corruption" cannot "inherit incorruption" (I Cor. 15:50), so we must, of necessity, be "changed" (I Cor. 15:52). So it is that Paul wrote, "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, _who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body_ , by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself" (Php. 3:21).

When I read, "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout," I see the parallel when Jesus "cried out in a loud voice" to Lazarus. When I read, "With the voice of an archangel," I see _Michael_ or "Who is like God," denoting the _sons of God_ , the sons of the resurrection who have the "everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people" (Rev. 14:6). When I read, "And with the trumpet of God, " I see _the collective voice of the elect or sons_ who will declare true resurrection life to the church, a life which, at this present time, is not yet "fully known" (Col. 1:25).

"We who are alive and remain" are represented by the _twelve disciples_ who were with Christ at the time of Lazarus' resurrection and indicate the "divine government" of God through His chosen (John 15:16). It is only logical that if they bring resurrection life to the church that they are "caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." I believe this phrase correlates with the following.

Revelation 21:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 **Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband**. 3 And I heard **a loud voice from heaven** saying, "Behold, **the tabernacle of God** _is_ **with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people.** God **Himself will be with them** _and be_ **their God**. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, " **Write, for these words are true and faithful**."

"To meet the Lord in the air." Would this not correspond with what we see in these passages? If the "holy city" is " _coming down out of heaven_ ," would this not be _why_ we "meet the Lord in the air"?

"Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'" True and faithful, brothers and sisters! His Word is God and what He has determined shall surely come to pass. "Therefore comfort one another with these words."

And what about the world at large?

Revelation 22:1-7 (NKJV)  
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, _was_ the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each _tree_ yielding its fruit every month. **The leaves of the tree** _were_ **for the healing of the nations**. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name _shall be_ on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever. 6 Then he said to me, "These words _are_ faithful and true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. 7 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed _is_ he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

"Twelve fruits," _divine government_ , the wisdom of Christ in His people who bring "healing" to the nations. You see, my friend, our Creator has no intention of destroying this world and the people in it. Rather, He is bringing humankind to a "new heaven and a new earth" which will begin to arise during "the fullness of the times" and culminate with His kingdom on earth.

Zechariah 14:16 (NKJV)  
16 And it shall come to pass _that_ everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the **Feast of Tabernacles**.

Psalms 119:125-128 (ESV)  
125 I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! 126 **It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken**. 127 Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. 128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.

# Chapter Twenty-Three

# THE TESTIMONY OF THE NUMBERS

As we have learned, the Feast of Tabernacles took place in the _seventh_ month, consisting of _three_ segments, the Day of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles proper. _Seven_ points to "the _fullness_ of the times" while _three_ points to "resurrection."

It is important to understand that Passover was the beginning of the year for Israel (Exod. 12:1-2) and began what is known as the "sacred" year. In his book, _The Feast of Tabernacles_ , George Warnock points out that the seventh month was the beginning of the "Civil or Agricultural" year. What is significant is that the _seventh month_ of the agricultural year is also the _first month_ of the sacred year.

From the earliest days in Israel, time was reckoned not only from the month of the Passover, but there existed what was called a Civil or Agricultural year, which began in the seventh month. It is evident from Ex. 23:16 and 34:22 that the seventh month was the end of the old and the beginning of this new year. Also, from Lev. 25:9 we discover that the year of Jubilee began in the seventh month. All this helps us to understand more clearly Joel's prophecy: "He will cause to come down for you the rain, **the former rain, and the latter rain** in the first month." (Joel 2:23). The "first month" mentioned here is not the Passover month, but the beginning of this Agricultural or Civil year. A good translation is, "At the beginning of the season..." It was the end of the year, when the corn, the wine, and the oil were gathered in, but it was also the beginning of a new Agricultural Year, when the rains could be expected.

In his book, _The Feast of Tabernacles_ , Kevin J. Conner wrote the following.

Pentecost was the harvest of firstfruits. Tabernacles is the harvest of the final fruits. The first pointed to the final. The end of the age will result in the greatest ingathering of souls ever seen. Thus the symbolic and prophetic significance of the Feast of Tabernacles relative to the harvest ingathering at the end of the year points to that harvest ingathering in the church.

Also, consider the following from Kevin J. Conner.

Another reason for the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) was in order that the Israelites would remember how the Lord caused them to dwell in booths when He brought them out of Egypt (Lev. 23:42-43). In other words, the Feast of the seventh month reminded them of the first month; the end reminded them of their beginning; Tabernacles reminded them of Passover.

All of this is illustrated by our lampstand. Let's look at our illustration once again.

As our lampstand shows, the three great Feasts of Israel are connected to each other, defining for us the spiritual path of the individual as well as the body of Christ collectively speaking. The central branch of the lampstand denotes Christ, the only begotten of the Father, in the midst of His people at all times, bringing the Word and will of our heavenly Father to pass.

Notice how the first branch on the left side of our lampstand, representing Passover, is also the seventh branch on the right side of the lampstand, representing Tabernacles. Coincidence? Not at all! This shows the crossover of Passover in the first month (Sacred Year) with Tabernacles in the seventh month (Agricultural Year). When we add our _first_ branch to our _seventh_ branch, it totals _eight_. Now, do the same with the _second_ and _sixth_ branch, and the _third_ and _fifth_ branch, and again we have _eight_ both times. Consider what Ed F. Vallowe wrote about the spiritual meaning of _eight_ in Biblical Mathematics.

The number EIGHT always means a NEW BEGINNING or a NEW ORDER OF THINGS. As the series is complete in SEVEN, EIGHT signifies a new beginning, and thus stands for the NEW in contrast to the old. Observe the EIGHTH day which is really the first day of a new week, or the EIGHTH note of the musical scale which is the same as the first. EIGHT is the number for the NEW BIRTH or the NEW CREATION. FOUR is the number for the first creation and EIGHT is the number for a NEW CREATION.

There were EIGHT persons carried over from beyond the flood in the ark (I Peter 3:20). With those EIGHT the world was populated ANEW. This is a figure of a new beginning or a new order. This number also carries the thought of RESURRECTION. For EIGHT souls were saved or resurrected in the ark. EIGHT writers in the New Testament speak of the Life, Death, and the Resurrection of our Lord.

Also, reconsider what Stephen Jones wrote concerning the spiritual meaning of _eight_.

Eight (chet)

New Beginning

Chet is a fence in Hebrew. It can also signify an inner room, even the heart itself.

Eight is the number of new beginning. The sons of Abraham were to be circumcised on the eighth day (Gen. 17:12), because the eighth day was the lawful time for the presentation of the firstborn (Ex. 22:29, 30). It took a full seven days to consecrate the priests (Lev. 8:33), and then they emerged from the tabernacle on the eighth day. God then manifested His presence to the people on the eighth day (Lev. 9:1, 4, 24).

In the New Testament, Jesus was raised from the dead on the eighth day to fulfill the law of the wave-sheaf offering (Lev. 23:10, 11). Likewise, Pentecost occurred seven weeks later on the fiftieth day, which was also the eighth day (Lev. 23:15-17). As we showed earlier, Jesus prophesied on the eighth day of Tabernacles (John 7:37-39) about the outpouring of the Spirit. These examples all fulfill the law of the presentation of the firstborn on the eighth day in Exodus 22:29, 30.

With our six branches, we have three eights. This would be _twenty-four_. Here's Jones' explanation of its meaning.

Twenty-Four (kaph-daleth)

Priesthood

To write twenty-four in Hebrew, they wrote two Hebrew letters: kaph-daleth. These signify the open palm in the act of opening a door, signifying an open hand showing and offering to us the door of priesthood and access into the Sanctuary of God.

Twenty-four is the number of priesthood.

Even as the number 12 is the number of governmental perfection, its multiple (24) is the number of priesthood, wherein lies the call to spiritual government. It is a heavenly government of priesthood, rather than a political government of kings.

God revealed to David the pattern of the heavenly Temple, so that he could draw the blueprints for the temple on earth that his son, Solomon, was to build. Among these patterns was a change in priesthood from 12 to 24 courses of priests (1 Chron. 24:1-18). For this reason also, we read in Rev. 4:4 of the 24 elders around the throne, after which the earthly manifestation was patterned.

In 1 Chron. 24:1-18, where David divided the priesthood into 24 courses, we find another natural division. The 24 courses are composed of 16 men of the family of Eleazar and 8 of the family of Ithamar (1 Chron. 24:4). The number 16 speaks of Love, while the number 8 speaks of New Beginnings. The number 24, then, which signifies priesthood, cannot be understood apart from the context of a new beginning (8) of spiritual rebirth and Love as the foundation of their character.

It is interesting that the 24th time the name of Jesus is mentioned in the book of John is found in John 3:3, which says,

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

This is about a new beginning in one's life, and it connects the number 8 with the priesthood (24).

Most of the time, the 24th time a key name is used speaks of an aspect of work or duty that a true priest of God is to do, whether it is intercession, healing, or ruling.

For example, the 24th time that the name of Joseph appears is in Gen. 39:6, where we read that Potiphar "left everything he owned in Joseph's charge." Jesus said in Luke 12:44 about the good stewards, "Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions."

Such is the Melchizedek Priesthood, taken from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Rev. 5:9, 10), for they will be made into a kingdom of priests and will reign on the earth.

Concerning _twenty-four_ , Stephen Jones tells us, "These signify the open palm in the act of opening a door, signifying an open hand showing and offering to us the door of priesthood and access into the Sanctuary of God. Jesus said to the church of Philadelphia, "See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it."

The central branch of the lampstand is the _fourth_ branch, so we would add _four_ to _twenty-four_ and get _twenty-eight_. Here's the meaning of this number from Stephen Jones.

Twenty-Eight (kaph-chet)

Leading of the Spirit

To write twenty-eight in Hebrew, they wrote two Hebrew letters: kaph-chet. These signify the open palm covering the inner chamber of the heart.

Twenty-eight is the number of the leading of the Spirit. Dr. Bullinger's Number in Scripture says very little about this number, treating it mostly as 7 x 4. Ed Vallowe's book, Biblical Mathematics, unconvincingly treats the number 28 in terms of 23 + 5, saying that it means eternal life. He comes to this conclusion because it follows the number 27, which he says means "Preaching of the Gospel." His logic is that eternal life follows the preaching of the gospel.

I find that the number 27 indicates the Ministry of Salvation, which is quite similar to Vallowe's Preaching of the Gospel. This semantic difference is relatively unimportant. More important is the concept of what comes after this preaching ministry. What comes after a person's acceptance of Christ? Is it not the leading of the Spirit? The Gospel, as pictured by most people, has to do with one's Passover experience—that is, accepting Christ and being justified by faith. As a Baptist evangelist, Ed Vallowe focuses on the idea of eternal life as the result of the Gospel, but many biblical examples show that it is really about the leading of the Spirit. I found no example where 28 clearly pointed to the idea of eternal life.

In the first chapter of Matthew, the genealogy of Christ is divided into three sections of 14 each. Matt. 1:17 says,

17 Therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations; and from the deportations to Babylon to the time of Christ fourteen generations.

The number 28, then, should be viewed as having a connection with the number 14, which is the number of release, as well as the number 42. These three numbers, in a sense, represent Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Israel was released from Egypt at Passover because of events occurring on the night of Abib 14/15. The number 28 indicates the leading of the Holy Spirit, which points to Pentecost. And finally, the number 42 has to do with the full anointing of Christ, which points to Tabernacles.

The number 28 is the climax of the second period of 14 generations. After 28 generations from Abraham, the people of Judah were taken into captivity to Babylon. Because of a general lack of understanding of the nature of Pentecost, most people find this to be puzzling because one would think that Pentecost would be a time of freedom, rather than bondage. However, when we understand that Pentecost is a leavened feast and that King Saul was a Pentecostal type, the connection becomes clearer.

Israel left Egypt at Passover and spent its Pentecostal days in the wilderness under Moses. They were supposed to enter the Promised Land at the time of the feast of Tabernacles. And so we find that after 28 generations, Judah was led into another "wilderness" type experience outside of the land, where they had to rely upon the leading of the Holy Spirit.

In Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 we are given 28 "times" divided into 14 x 2.

1. A Time to be born; A Time to die.

2. A Time to plant; A Time to pluck

3. A Time to kill; A Time to Heal

4. A Time to break; A Time to Build

5. A Time to weep; A Time to Laugh

6. A Time to mourn; A Time to dance

7. A Time to cast stones; A Time to gather stones

8. A Time to Embrace; A Time to refrain

9. A Time to get; A Time to lose

10. A Time to keep; A Time to cast away

11. A Time to rend; A Time to sew

12. A Time to keep silence; A Time to speak

13. A Time to love; A Time to hate

14. A Time of war; A Time of peace

This is another example of how the number 28 is divided biblically into 14 x 2 and is therefore connected to the number 14. As we study this, we find that many men of the Bible were required to leave, depart, or go do something on the 28th time that their name is mentioned. It is clear that they were to do as they were led by the Holy Spirit.

The 28th time that Noah's name is mentioned is in Gen. 8:15, where God told him to "go out of the ark" (vs. 16). In leaving, he was following the leading of the Spirit.

The 28th time that Abram's name is mentioned is in Gen. 14:12, where the kings of Elam and Babylon took Lot (Abraham's nephew) captive in the war with Sodom. This is much like Judah being taken captive to Babylon after 28 generations many years later. One can easily draw a parallel between Lot and the people of Judah, showing how each was full of leaven that needed to be purged by some tribulation.

The 28th time that Jacob's name is mentioned is in Gen. 28:6 when Esau recognized that Isaac had sent Jacob to Paddan-aram to find a wife. Jacob was being led by the Spirit. Jacob was yet a supplanter or usurper, and so God was sending him to a foreign land for further purging through tribulation. In bondage to Laban, he had to learn to be led by the Spirit, and in his return home, he became an overcomer, and the angel changed his name to Israel.

The 28th time Israel's name is mentioned is in Gen. 48:13, where Joseph took his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, to be blessed by Jacob. In this, he was led by the Spirit.

The 28th time Joseph's name is mentioned is in Gen. 39:11, where Joseph went into the house of Potiphar to conduct his duties. Potiphar's house is his house of bondage, and there Potiphar's wife attempted to seduce him. It is not hard to see how Joseph was led by the Spirit while in bondage. It is again similar to the stories of both Lot and Judah.

The 28th time that Joshua's name is mentioned is in Joshua 1:10, where he commanded the people to great ready to cross the Jordan. That, of course, is the purpose of Pentecost, for the leading of the Spirit is what prepares us to "cross over" to fulfill the feast of Tabernacles.

The 28th time that David's name is mentioned is in 1 Sam. 17:39. In this passage, Saul has given him his armor in order to fight Goliath, but David says, "I cannot go with these." David took off Saul's armor and went against Goliath with the full armor of God, the spiritual armor given by the Holy Spirit.

The 28th time that Peter's name is mentioned is in Acts 10:5, where Cornelius was told by the Spirit of the Lord to send men to Joppa and inquire in the tanner's house for a man named Peter. This is clearly an example of being led by the Holy Spirit.

The 28th time that Paul's name is mentioned is in Acts 16:25, where Paul and Silas were singing praise to God in prison. An earthquake struck, which opened the doors and loosened their chains. The prison warden was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped, but Paul was led by the Spirit and remained in the prison to lead the man and his family to Christ.

Finally, in Exodus 26:1, 2 we read that the tabernacle of Moses was to have ten curtains of 28 cubits' length each. These curtains covered the tabernacle, to signify the covering of the Holy Spirit. Paul says in 1 Cor. 3:16, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God?" The curtains in that tabernacle represented a type of the Holy Spirit that would cover us—our temples. This curtain is, in fact, a word picture of the two Hebrew letters that form the number 28, kaph (covering) and chet (the heart).

The fact that there were ten curtains signifies the fulfillment of the law, for Pentecost was a commemoration of the giving of the law at Sinai. So we see here the message that the Holy Spirit writes the divine law upon our hearts as we hear His voice and are led by the Spirit.

As we see, the spiritual meaning of the numbers gives clarity to our presentation and to the three great Feasts of Israel. _Twenty-eight_ is the total of all branches, of Christ in us, the hope of glory, "the number of the leading of the Spirit."

Romans 8:14 (NKJV)  
14 For **as many as are led by the Spirit of God** , these are **sons of God**.

# Chapter Twenty-Four

# THE THIRD PART

When the first four angels sound their trumpets, we find the phrase "the third part" used every time in the King James Version of scripture. In the first trumpet, it is the "third part of trees" (Rev. 8:7). In the second trumpet, it is the "third part of the sea," the "creatures which were in the sea" and the "ships" (Rev. 8:8-9). In the third trumpet, it is the "third part of the rivers" and "waters" (Rev. 8:10-11). And in the fourth trumpet, it is the "third part of the sun," the "moon," and the "stars" (Rev. 8:12). What is meant by the "third part"? The following passages from Ezekiel tell us.

Ezekiel 5:1-5 (KJV)  
1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause _it_ to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, **and divide the** _hair_. 2 Thou shalt burn with fire **a third part** in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take **a third part** , _and_ smite about it with a knife: and **a third part** thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them. 3 Thou shalt also take thereof a **few in number** , and bind them in thy skirts. 4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; _for_ **thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel**. 5 Thus saith the Lord GOD; This _is_ Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries _that are_ round about her.

Whenever something is divided into three parts, then each part is a "third part," is it not? And what does the Lord tell Ezekiel? "This is Jerusalem," His people, indicative of us, His church.

Revelation 17:14 (KJV)  
14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him _are_ **called** , and **chosen** , and **faithful**.

"They that are with Him are called (1), and chosen (2), and faithful (3)." Three parts of a whole, which when brought together, represent the spiritual city of God called "Jerusalem" (Rev. 21:2).

What is typified by our passages in Ezekiel? In agreement with I Peter 4:17, it is the necessary judgment of the house of God. If we continue to read in Ezekiel, Chapter 5, we will find confirmation. We will also find the "four winds" described in Ezekiel, Chapter 14.

The "few in number"? It represents the "sons of God," the overcomers in each of the seven churches. Note that out of this "few in number," some are cast into "the midst of the fire" and "a fire" shall "come forth into all the house of Israel." Again, this speaks of the fiery aspects of the prophetic components of His divine law which is even now being fulfilled. This statement also corresponds to the "souls" found in the fifth seal (Rev. 6:9-11).

So what is the purpose of God's judgment? As evidenced by our _three_ , it is clearly _resurrection_.

# Chapter Twenty-Five

# TEN DAYS

Revelation 2:10 (KJV)  
10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast _some_ of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation **ten days** : **be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life**.

Remember that Smyrna is one of the seven churches which the Lord did not rebuke. Here we find the Lord stating "ye shall have tribulation _ten days_ : be thou _faithful unto death_ , and I will give thee _a crown of life_."

Why is ten significant? Because it follows the "forty days and nights" which signifies our flood.

Acts 1:1-5 (NKJV)  
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, **being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God**. 4 And being assembled together with _them,_ He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to **wait for the Promise of the Father** , "which," _He said,_ "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but **you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now**."

The baptism of the Holy Spirit fell on the apostles ten days after "the day in which He was taken up," i.e. after He had spent forty days and nights with them. This was on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). Pentecost means, "Fiftieth," so this also confirms our ten days (40 + 10).

Look once more at the spiritual meaning of _ten_ from Stephen Jones (emphasis mine).

Ten (yod)

Divine Order, Law

**Yod** is a closed hand. Because ten is also the number of the law, which brings divine order, it signifies "the works of the law."

As we wrote earlier, the number _eight_ indicates a new beginning, a new birth in a believer. _Nine_ is visitation and manifests the Holy Spirit's leading, training, and judgment (learning to discern right and wrong) in the life of the believer, and acts as a witness against the unbeliever to expose the secrets of his heart.

_Ten_ _is the number of_ divine order _being reestablished one way or another through the judgment of the law_ (as pictured by the Ten Commandments). _In other words, it manifests the actual sentence of the law which follows the gathering and presentation of the evidence. After the Holy Spirit has revealed the evidence to expose men's hearts_ (i.e., number nine), _the Judge reveals the law_. _That is, he pronounces the sentence_ (i.e., number ten) _according to the law_.

_Ten is the number that portrays that time of judgment when men either receive reward or come under divine judgment. One way or another, the law must be fulfilled and the divine order reestablished_.

The tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the **yod** , which means a deed or work. Because ten is also the number of the law, as seen in the Ten Commandments, the yod became a symbol of "the works of the law" (Rom. 3:20). The meaning of the number ten is based upon the divine law, because as Revelation 20:12 and 13 say, all will be judged " _according to their deeds_."

The tenth time Noah's name is mentioned is in Gen. 6:13, where God said,

13 **Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them** ; and **behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth."**

This speaks of judgment by the divine law in Noah's day, because the people had rejected Noah's message—that is, the message of the Comforter (Menachem).

The tenth time _Isaac_ is mentioned is in Gen. 22:3, where we see his father taking him to Mount Moriah. This pictures the great sacrifice of Christ on the cross, where the law's judgment fell upon the only-begotten Son of God, who paid the penalty for our sin and rebellion.

Jones tells us, "Because ten is also the number of the law, which brings divine order, it signifies 'the works of the law.'" Divine order. Established by "the works of the law." This does not refer to just our works but to the Lord's as well, verified by His statement, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I did not come to destroy _but to fulfill_." The "works of the law" have been and are being fulfilled through Christ as we have indicated throughout this study.

All of this shows that once we enter into the flood and the corresponding tribulation which follows (ten days), that if we endure, we will receive a "crown of life," but we must be "faithful unto death." I don't believe this is a physical death but speaks of the "second death" (judgment) which leads to an inward spiritual transformation. Paul describes this for us in the following passages.

Romans 6:1-9 (NKJV)  
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 **Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?** 4 **Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even** so **we also should walk in newness of life.** 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be _in the likeness_ **of** _His_ **resurrection** , 6 knowing this, that **our old man was crucified with** _Him_ _,_ that **the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin**. 7 **For he who has died has been freed from sin**. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, **dies no more**. **Death no longer has dominion over Him**.

Note Paul's remark "that _as many of us_ as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death." This shows that not everyone receives this experience, but those who do are "raised from the dead by the glory of the Father" and "walk in newness of life." The "old man," the "body of sin" is "done away with," completely and utterly, and one is no longer bound by sin but "freed" from it. Since "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23) and "death no longer has dominion" over such a person, then "having been raised from the dead" means they no longer sin and no longer "die." Sound remarkable? Seem impossible? Reconsider what Jesus said in the following.

Luke 20:34-38 (NKJV)  
34 And Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 **But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead** , neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 **nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection**. 37 But even Moses showed in the _burning_ bush _passage_ that **the dead are raised** , when he called the Lord _'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'_ 38 For **He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him**."

Is His Word truth? Then this Word is truth. Those who are "counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead" cannot "die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection."

John wrote, "Beloved, now we are _children_ of God; and _it has not yet been revealed_ what we shall be, but we know that _when He is revealed_ , we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2). Yes, we are still "children," not yet ready to possess the kingdom, but His divine process is preparing some who will reach the spiritual maturity necessary to rise up as "sons," for "the creation waits with eager longing for the _revealing_ of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:19; ESV). Down deep inside all of us is an innate sense, an intuition if you will, that tells us this is true. Inasmuch as we have known such depths of darkness, we also know that there is an equal and corresponding light of life that not only matches but surpasses all that we have endured. It is coming brother and sister, wrapped in the precious essence of God's divine love and mercy and more powerful than anything this planet has ever seen. Love _bears_ , _believes, hopes_ , and _endures_ all things. "Love never ends" (I Cor. 13:7-8; ESV). Amen.

1 John 3:9 (NKJV)  
Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Thank you for reading my book. It is my sincere hope that it encouraged and enlightened you in your walk with Christ. If so, won't you please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer? Thank you!

Jack Marshall

**About the Author** :

Jack Marshall was born in California in 1957 but raised in Oklahoma, where his experience with Christianity began at the age of 19. After several years of attending various denominational and non-denominational churches, his love for the Bible and desire to understand the scriptures became a vital part of his life. Ordained in his twenties, he spent several years ministering in homes, jails, and churches. Through in-depth study for the past 40 years, Jack has discovered that the message of scripture is truly one of hope, love, and encouragement for the entire world.

Connect With Me:

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Other books by Jack Marshall

The Dream – Through the Eyes of Sowing and Reaping

Times and Seasons – An Alternative View of the Day of the Lord

Hell, No! An Alternative View of Hell

The Rapture – Yes or No?

Studies in Revelation – The Beasts of Revelation

The Parable of the Sower

Studies in Revelation – The Second Death

The Unpardonable Sin

Studies in Revelation – The Beast of the Earth

Eastward in Eden

Deep Sleep

The Serpent – An Alternative View of the Devil

**Bibliography**

Reference:

E.W. Bullinger (1837-1913), Number in Scripture: Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, Public Domain, 1921

Biblical Mathematics, Keys to Scripture Numerics, Evangelist Ed F. Vallowe, Copyright 1998

Dr. James Strong (1822-1894), Strong's Concordance, First Published 1890

Marvin R. Vincent (1834-1922), Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament, First Published 1887

W.E. Vine (1873-1949), Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, First Published 1940

New Unger's Bible Dictionary, Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois, Copyright 1988

The Tabernacle of Moses, Kevin J. Conner, City Christian Publishing, Copyright 1976

The Feasts of Israel, Kevin J. Conner, City Christian Publishing, Copyright 1980

The Feast of Tabernacles, George Warnock, July 1951

The Biblical Meaning of Numbers from One to Forty, Dr. Stephen E. Jones, Copyright 2008, God's Kingdom Ministries, www.gods-kingdom-ministries.net

Kingdom Bible Studies, J. Preston Eby, www.kingdombiblestudies.org

Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com

Bible Translations Used:

KJV, King James Version, Public Domain, 1611

NKJV, New King James Version, Published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Complete Bible 1982

NIV, New International Version, Biblica, Zondervan and Hodder & Stoughton (UK) (licensed commercial rights), 1973 (NT), 1978 (OT)

ESV, English Standard Version, 2001: Crossway Bibles, a ministry of the Good News Publishers of Wheaton, Illinois, U.S.; Apocrypha 2009 by Oxford University Press

AMP, Amplified Bible, Published by The Zondervan Corporation and The Lockman Foundation, First Edition 1965

Quotes:

Mahatma Gandhi, Indian-Leader, October 2, 1869-January 30, 1948
