Useful Resources
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In this section are a number of websites which can help inspire you to seek the Lord in effective praying and in getting out there doing as well. As always, JESUS CHRIST is our greatest example and the one to whom we must compare ourselves and obey. The greatest resource is the Bible itself, so please spend your main study time in the Word of God, preferably the least corrupted King James Version!
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15 Websites: www.omega-ministries.org www.biblegateway.com www.biblehub.com www.spurgeongems.org www.heartcrymissionary.com www.propheticvision.org.uk www.thelastreformation.com www.insurgence.org/ www.propheticalert.net www.biblearchaeology.org www.creation.com www.christianrethink.co.uk
Free material to download, booklets and tracts. Online Bible versions for comparison Online Bible versions and Greek / Hebrew Lexicon and Interlinear Powerful messages from one of the great preachers of the 19th Century Equipping and mobilizing indigenous churches and missionaries David Hathaway evangelistic website - recommended! Join the network of believers who want to see power evangelism Frank Viola’s latest book details Insights into current affairs and how to avoid deception A useful site for the latest in Biblical related finds The best resource for creation material and news The articles posted here are an attempt to put the record straight
If you have been blessed by anything in this magazine please be as generous as you can to any of these Christian ministries supporting the poor and needy: www.bhct.org.uk The Beachy Head Chaplaincy - on mission to prevent suicides www.matthew25mission.org Helping feed the wandering and homeless in Eastbourne UK www.opendoorsuk.org Supporting outreach globally and supporting Christians in persecution www.teenchallenge.org.uk Helping people escape the problems of drugs and addiction www.capuk.org Christians Against Poverty, bringing the good news to the poor in UK hopenow.org.uk Working with Orphans in the Ukraine kingdomwaytrust.org Ministry to aid the homeless and hurting in society
This no-compromise, biblical clarion call to revival is timeless. He clearly shows how the church can be brought from where it is to where it ought to be. The church still needs his message, first published in 1983. “We live in a generation which has never known revival— God’s way!”
Available from: Bethany House
Much of what we see expressed in the church today is built on more than just the New Testament. It’s built, instead, mostly on the Old Testament, Church culture, and Paganism. It is therefore imperative that we as God’s people dare to stop and take a closer look at the church today compared to the first church seen in Acts.
Available from: TheLastReformation.com
ISSUE: 10
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
JESUS CHRIST THE TRUE MISHKAN “And the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” J ohn 1:14
T
he Hebrew Mishkan, although called the ‘Tabernacle of Moses’, in fact was not Moses’ Tabernacle but ‘The Tabernacle of His Presence’ and a significant tent structure designed by God himself, not Moses. Moses was the one willing to obey God in its construction for the benefit of the disobedient people of Israel. Consider for a moment how great Moses was. Not only did he meet with God on the mountain but he was willing to fully obey the Spirit in constructing a tent which had never before been made. Like Noah building the Ark it was an incredible act of faith. It was not written down for him to follow, but came from God himself. No wonder God the Father greatly esteems him as the meekest man on earth! Without him Israel would not exist! In investigating the Tabernacle we soon realise that it is for our benefit today and the purpose
of this study is to discover those eternal benefits. This is not the milk for an infant in Christ, but the meat of the word, for those who know how to feed on His revelation…
SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY Understanding how God has designed us as his ‘dwelling place’ (human tabernacle) could not be more important or more thrilling! Looking more closely at the structure and objects of the Tabernacle pattern will reveal the reality found in Christ. That is, the reality of God in man, of God dwelling in the tent of our body (1 Corin 15:46-49, 2 Corin 5:1-5). The Christian hope is that just as Jesus was raised to new life and his body transformed, we too will be changed because of his supernatural life within (1 Corin 15:51 ). Just as the earthly Tabernacle eventually wore out and was destroyed, so too our natural physical body will go back to dust, unless He returns before (John 6:40). However, our spirit and soul do not corrode and go back to dust but live
on into eternity, eventually to dwell within our new body (1 Corin 15:42). This has important implications for how we live in the here and now. Once Moses had received the instruction and pattern to build the Tabernacle, the Lord also told him what materials to use. These materials were to be given by the Israelites as a free will offering from the goods they had carried with them out of Egypt. Gold, Silver, Jewels, Bronze, fine cloth etc.(Exod 25:1-7). When enough materials had been given by the people, Moses had to stop the offering (Exod 36:6).
Wise Construction The men God chose to oversee the construction of the Tabernacle were Bezalel from the tribe of Judah and Ohliab from the tribe of Dan. They were given supernatural skill by God in the crafts required and the ability to teach others (Exod 35:30-35). God told Moses: Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you (Exod 25v9). continued on page 3
INSIDE A Message for our times Part 9 • The 2 Covenants • Christ or Christmas • Climate Crisis or Judgement • & more...
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ISSUE: 01
Revival – God’s Way Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
Revival times is a FREE publication offered to those who want to be encouraged and built up to know JESUS CHRIST as their Lord God and saviour. It is published by Omega Ministries which is a non-denominational prophetic movement of believers who want to see the Kingdom come on earth as in heaven. Please send all enquiries or questions to the email address given below. We recognise all material copyrights and thank God that all contributors take no wages for their work of faith in order to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world and to revive his true church in our day. All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Bible and or Greek and Hebrew, where appropriate, for clarity. This paper and other teaching material is offered online for downloading and printing free of charge. If you are inspired by the content of this paper please pass on to brothers and sisters for their encouragement. Revival is a long lost concept in our modern society because the true Gospel has been perverted, watered down and twisted for personal gain by wolves in sheep’s clothing. Enough is enough and now the sleepers must awake from their spiritual stupor. The dead dry bones must live and the faithful army of the Lord arise and shine the beauty of Christ in us, the hope of glory.
The Call Has Gone Out Soldiers of Christ, arise And put your armour on, Strong in the strength which God supplies Through His eternal Son; Strong in Lord of hosts And in His mighty power: Who in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, They will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
Editor: Stephen Turnham © please copy and pass on Download the PDF here: www.omega-ministries.org email: info@omega-ministries.org
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Where is the hope for Revival— God’s Holy Spirit outpoured Convicting of sin, and of judgement And righteousness of the Lord? When nothing else is important— Only God’s presence Divine, When Christians quit worldly pleasures, Then God, His ear will incline. Desperate prayer for Revival Will cleanse the Church by the Word. Then clothed in spotless, white linen, The Bride clears the way for her Lord. Prayer is the key to Revival, Prayer that is true Spirit-born, Nights of compassionate weeping— Intercession for all the forlorn. Then will the burdens be lifted, Then all the sinners will cry, Then all the chains will be loosened And worldly passions will die. The lost ones will yield to God’s Spirit When Christians, cleansed, weep and pray; God’s Living Water flows outward; This is “Revival—God’s Way”! —Estelle Gifford Jackson FIRST THOUGHTS Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”
G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
sea! It reveals where we are in the timeline of the end. Yes this has been the result of mankind’s abuse of resources, our greed for more and more. And yes God has not tried to stop us from constructing, inventing and polluting.
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. (Prov 1:30-32) Sin has a consequence, what you sow you will reap, the ins of the fathers are visited on the children. These are spiritual laws that operate like gravity and cannot be changed. God put them in place so that his truth and glory would never be compromised. Man’s efforts to better himself are doomed to failure all the time he is under Satan’s dominion. Everyone in the Word has been deceived to think that we can get out of this problem ourselves, we can use technology or rebellion against authorities to change things. The thing is that the WORD has been sent and cannot be changed, the end will come soon, the devils will be judged an the earth renewed through fire! There will be nothing left! You will either be saved from this wrath or perish depending on your allegiance. The times of the nations are fulfilled and the final countdown has begun. As a believer your mission is to spread the word that God is coming to destroy Satan and the kingdom of darkness and they need to escape NOW through CHRIST. This is in accordance with Paul’s early preaching to the Greeks of Athens 2000 years ago!
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him
from the dead. (Acts 17:29-31)
THE LAST WORD
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.. 1 Corinthians 1:19-25 REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 23
continued from cover
Do you think that this OLD creation can be repaired? It’s time to know God’s plan and join to Him through obedience to his will which leads to life eternal. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels, but my Father only. (Matt 24:35-36)
The corruption of the earth is now reaching new heights and beginning to resemble that evil time in the days of Noah. 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. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 6). The population of the earth had multiplied, evil had multiplied there was only 1 man that God considered righteous! That’s not exactly the case today, but we have a population explosion, we have global rejection of Christ and even of Jews! We see the Church in apostasy an the world permitting and encouraging sinful beliefs and actions. Idol worship of ‘other gods’ has never been so widespread as in our day! (Matt 24:37)
The sign of the end - Israel! Most Christians will recognise that the return to the land of promise by Jews, even if a bit messy, is a fulfilment of prophecy. As Paul says, we must accept that the Jews are different. A peculiar (special) nation that was formed and purchased by God out of history to shed light on the truth and to fulfil his promises to Abraham (Romans 9:17). This ‘holy’ nation was dispersed and has been restored in part. I believe that this is leading to Jews turning to Christ like never before as they uncover the truth of Isaiah 53. This is a grace from the Lord and is symbolically indicated in the vision of Revelation. Something happens in our creation at the same time
that this change occurs. 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, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an
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hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (Rev 7:2-4)
One of the marked changes in the global environment since 1948 is the destruction of two key resources that are essential for life on earth, you guessed it Trees and the Sea! Air and water. Just check the news and you will see that those angels started to hurt the earth, the trees and the
An OVERVIEW of the construction sequence reveals some interesting truths and helps us focus on priorities. 1. SHADOW: The Cherubim linen curtain and 3 others covering; 1 goat hair 1 red badger skins and another tough waterproof skin. REALITY: The Cherubim (angel) curtain represents the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ where God dwells and the goat hair curtain over this ‘sanctification’ or ‘separation’ from evil and the red skins ‘justification’ through sacrifice. The last tough dark layer represents ‘salvation’! These skins also speak of God’s intention to live within our own body, i.e. under our skin! 2. SHADOW: The craftsmen were instructed to build the inner wood frame then the inner veils (curtains) – in preparation to support the tabernacle curtain (as above). This then formed the 2 inner rooms. REALITY: The inner heart of man is designed to be under God’s authority and protection. It is of first priority, a weak heart will mean a weak life. 3. SHADOW: The first room to be fitted out is The Most Holy Place with the holy Ark of the Covenant containing the 10 commandments, Manna and Aarons rod. REALITY: This tells us that first must come the Spirit, Jesus said that ‘unless a man is born of the Spirit’ that he would not even see the Kingdom of God, let alone enter it! (John 3:5) Our human spirit must first be reborn by God’s Spirit (our sin atoned for by Jesus) in our own most holy place (that is our inner spirit person, the true self). 4. SHADOW: Secondly, the Tent of Meeting or The Holy Place is fitted with special holy furniture, the incense Altar, Lampstand and Table of Bread. REALITY: This part represents the human soul. The will, mind and emotions, our individuality. The purpose of our faith is for the restoration of our soul before death. The altar of our heart must be to worship God. Our mind
must be lighted with revelation. Our emotions must be renewed and disciplined. 5. SHADOW: Thirdly, after the Holy Place comes the largest area to be completed the Outer Court with the Laver and the Altar of sacrifice. REALITY: We can understand this as symbolising the physical body (the flesh and the 5 senses) The Tabernacle structure and tent is contained within this protective area so that the HOLY and the UNCLEAN do not touch.
The cleansing of the Tabernacle The Tabernacle structures were made with materials originally from Egypt (Exod 12:35) and as such they were considered ‘unclean’ or ‘defiled’ (Gentile). No doubt they were formerly offered to Egyptian god’s. Before any part of the Tabernacle could be used for their true purpose Moses was instructed to purify them by anointing them with the sacred anointing oil and blood. This symbolically made them Holy (sanctified) before God (Exod 40:9-10). In a similar way the unsaved soul is every bit as ‘unclean’ before God and therefore unable to experience the true purpose as a vessel of God’s glory. When Moses had anointed and purified the Tabernacle the glory of the Lord came into the Tabernacle (Exod 40:34). What an
experience that must have been! The physical manifestation of God Almighty! In a similar way when an unbelieving man or woman chooses to believe the work of Jesus sacrifice, that is repent and invite Jesus Christ (high priest) by faith into his ‘empty’ heart, then just like Moses, Jesus by His Spirit, enters and establishes the new Covenant (Ark) by cleansing the vessel. Secondly Jesus by the Holy Spirit supernaturally dwells in the body and soul. Paul and others reveal to us that the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body (1 Corin 6:13). God’s desire is that He dwells within us. No-man can ‘see’ God and live. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, however the promise of the resurrection to a new body is the Christian hope (Rev 21:3 / Eph 1:13-14). Our redemption of the body will complete the building of the body of Christ to perfection. Before that great and glorious day believers must now live as His temple (corporate) and as a tabernacle (individual). We are designed from the beginning for him to dwell in our spirit, soul and body. With this in mind we will consider the threefold structure of the Tabernacle alongside the threefold structure of man. “The Lord God formed the man from
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 3
Israel and the Two Covenants - Moses to Jesus To whom did God make the covenants? Due to Christianity being normalised in the western world since around the 4th century it was forgotten that the Biblical covenants were made to both individuals, and the subsequent nation. That nation was Israel (the 12 tribes) in the Middle East region, later named Palestine by the conquering Romans (AD134). The covenant of law (agreement) was forged by God through Moses at Mount Sinai after being refugees for 400 years. This gave 10 specific Laws which expanded out into 603 others that shaped Israeli culture. No other nation in the region or the world had this privilege. Favour came upon the Hebrew people when they obeyed these good laws and they lived in the land promised to Abraham. But tragedy befell them when they disobeyed and went after foreign gods! The
‘curse of the law’ came upon the nation many times leading to expulsion. Other nations were often used by God to discipline and execute his punishment (to turn them back). However those nations were judged according to how they treated Israel, but they had NO covenant with God themselves. (Jer 25:9; 27:8; 50:18)
Why another covenant? The Lord knew that Israel would struggle and fail with the Sinai agreement, so he also promised that one day a NEW agreement would be introduced by grace to make it easier, permanent and global. However he would only do this with a small remnant of the nation whose ancestors had remained faithful to him, as revealed by Malachi. Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those
who feared the Lord and honoured his name. “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. (Malachi 3:16-18, & Jer 50:20) The last, and greatest prophet appeared after a 400 year gap! John Zechariah Levi, led by the Spirit, began to preach the message of the Kingdom. He taught repentance from sinful behaviour and faith towards God. He introduced Jesus as the ‘Lamb of God’ who would establish the promise and remove sin from the chosen remnant and the world. By the cross (curse) Jesus gave his own blood as a guarantee to all who believe that he would raise them up on the last day. First for the Jew and then for the Gentiles who believe.
continued on page 5
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over sickness and his miracles over nature even death were evidence that he was indeed the door of heaven. He came to destroy the works of the devil and he used his angels to do this, because he is the commander of the host of heaven (Rev 19:11-16). Wherever you look in the Scriptures you’ll find the angels sent by God to bring change in the way God wants, to achieve his purposes. All the great Prophets and Apostles had encounters with these servants who are sent to help those who inherit salvation. For unto which of the angels said he at any time,Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith,Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And,Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Heb 1) We must not underestimate the influence and effects of these messengers of God. They are still active today on behalf of those who seek Christ and His Kingdom. There are many hundreds of testimonies of how the angels have helped believers escape dangers and deliver miracles to the needy. Whatever they bring will always exult Christ as Lord and King and never lead anyone to take the glory. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) We are also warned that Satan can try to appear as and angel of light to deceive, so it is important we both know the Word of God and the purpose of Angels in achieving God’s will in the earth. As we serve Christ he will send help as required, we can pray for this support, but we accept that all answers will be in accordance with his plans and not ours. n
Is this the end of the world? The world does seem to be reaching a crescendo of both achievement and corruption almost like a great harvest ripening ready to be harvested! This is exactly how Jesus said it would be and then when he returns he would send his angels to reap! Are you ready for that harvest are you wheat or weeds? He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13)
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the dust of the ground (body) and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (spirit), and the man became a living being (soul).” Gen 2:7. Before meeting Christ everyone born into earth is physically alive, but are dead souls because of inherited sin (rebellion) with spirits opposed to God as his creator.*
is a shadow or reflection of the greater reality that Jesus brought to us, the renewed inner spirit man. He was the ‘son of man’ the perfect man and fully God! Jesus as Messiah was the total fulfilment and perfection of the ‘human tabernacle’ in which God dwelt in his fullness (Col 2:9).
1. THE INNER SPIRIT
Jesus was not an earthly High Priest in the temple of Israel (he did not accept it as permanent), but by his sacrifice, and subsequent victory over death, he qualified to be the spiritual High Priest with the ability to enter the Most Holy Place of man himself, the inner heart or spirit of each one that believes. Only Jesus can do this because he has atoned for the sin that hindered God from entering INTO man. As our High Priest He continues to do this without end (Heb 7:23-25). Thus Paul tells us that ‘Christ dwells in our heart by faith’ (Eph 3:17) meaning that the Spirit of God is freely able to enter the inner parts or rooms of our inner man, so that we are one with Him (1 Corin 6v17 ). This is the miracle of Grace achieved by Jesus and is the true meaning and purpose of his High Priesthood. He has reconnected us with the Father in heaven. We can therefore fellowship with God in spirit and truth. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24
Inside your inner spirit -
A New Heart of Mercy
1.The Law - on Tablets of Stone (Exod 24:12)
The spirit of man (The Most Holy Place) At the feast of Tabernacles Jesus declared: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7 v37-38.
The Lord makes it clear that His life will flow from within us. Just as the glory and life of God was seen inside the Most Holy Place over the Mercy Seat of the golden Ark of the Covenant. So too, by this same mercy, we can experience His Life in our own inner spirit. In the last but one verse of Revelation Jesus again tells us; “Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Rev 22v17 Once we have received the promised FREE gift of the Holy Spirit into us we are made alive (Rom 8:10), we have a never ending supply of this ‘water of life’ to give eternal life to our inner spirit, empowering the rest of our being. Crucially this life flows from within, not over us. This is an important principle to remember as it affects our whole understanding of how the blessing of God comes to a disciple of Christ. Moses and Aaron had to go through many external sacrifices and ceremonial washings to purify themselves, so that they could go into the holy inner rooms. In there they heard God speak and witnessed His presence. Here they received instruction and made intercession for the whole nation of God’s people. The power was within. We now begin to see how the inner place of the Tabernacle
OUR HIGH PRIEST
In the completed Most Holy Place there was only one item of furniture (made of two parts) and the only ‘seat’ that existed in the whole Tabernacle, the Ark of The Covenant or Ark of Testimony (Exod 25:21) covered by the pure gold Mercy Seat. This is Gods THRONE OF GRACE with mercy to remove our sin. God told Moses that this was where He would demonstrate His presence. Obviously this was a very private event when it happened each year for the one mediating High Priest. However
it was necessary for the benefit and cleansing of the whole nation of Israel. As our (spiritual) High Priest Jesus continually intercedes for us and so we are continually cleansed from the consequences of sin (judgement) as we continue in Christ and in fellowship with one another (Heb 7:23-25, 1 John 1:7). how you are made
The Most Holy Place was 10 cubits in every dimension and this cube shaped chamber has untold secrets to reveal to us (For example the New Jerusalem (heavenly church) is also symbolised by a cube (Rev 21:16). This inner room is very significant to every one of us because it changed the whole destiny of the world. Within the Ark box Moses placed three items, The Tablets of Stone, the Gold Jar of Manna and Aarons Rod that budded (Heb 9:1-5). These 3 special items symbolise the nature and needs of the spirit of man and we will look at these in turn.
We are all familiar with the fact that on the two tablets God himself wrote the summation of the whole Law, the 10 commandments, 5 on each tablet (back and front). This Paul calls the ‘written code’ the requirements of a Holy God. These book size tablets were created by God twice! The first time Moses broke them in response to the rebellion of the Israelites who lost faith and made for themselves a golden calf (Exod 32:19) an Egyptian idol god. REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 5
The Stones The first Tablet, inscribed on both sides, has commands regarding our attitude and actions towards God and parents. The second Tablet has commands regarding our attitude and action towards our neighbour and brothers. Jesus summed up these two when he said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt 22v37-40) These specific commands that Jesus refers to are not actually written on the stone tablets! They were written in the Book of the Covenant (Exod 24:7). God gave Moses many interrelated Laws with which to govern and for the people to follow, a whole fully structured society entirely different to what they experienced in Egypt. The main TEN commands were etched into the stone tablets to be placed in the Ark of the Covenant (thus symbolising the whole Law), the others were all written down by Moses on parchment scrolls, hence today we have the Pentateuch or Torah (first 5 books of the Bible assembled by Moses and scholars). The scriptures Jesus quotes in Matthew 22 are taken from Deut 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. As the first 5 commands cover our attitude to God and the other 5 our attitude to our neighbour, Jesus words do link with the ten commands in the Spirit of grace. Why write these commands on stone? Why didn’t God write the main ten commands on wood or even on a gold plate? He could have done anything he wanted, but he chose stone. The stone tablets, as we are seeing, represent a part of the ‘inner spirit man’ and could be said to symbolise or shadow what we would call our ‘conscience’ or our fundamental instinct for what is right and wrong. God chose stone because it reflected the kind of spirit that Israel had in them and which was PAGE 6 REVIVAL TIMES
revealed, time and again, as they rebelled against God’s commands (Ezek 11:19). They were both hard hearted and double minded, hence we see TWO tablets and written on STONE. In modern language we would say, ‘like talking to a brick wall’! However, we must also say that the Law is perfect and good and it reveals to us the truth, for Israel these Laws were hard rules to be obeyed, usually against their own real desires. The Law was designed for, and ONLY given to, the nation of Israel (to prevent them being destroyed), it produced ‘guilt’ revealing ‘uncleaness’ and often resulted in ‘punishment’ or ‘judgement’ of one sort or another. These ranged from social exclusion to capital punishment and death! These were all forms of discipline based on the covenant they had agreed to as a nation at Sinai. The Tabernacle system was God’s instrument of grace for the Israelites (symbolic of Jesus) to enable them to clean themselves or redeem themselves back into God’s favour. The sacrifice of the lamb, goat or bull etc. would cleanse them outwardly, so that they avoided judgement, but not from their inner sense of guilt. As the writer to the Hebrews points out in 9:6-10 they were not able to cleanse their conscience. In contrast the work of Jesus DOES cleanse the conscience (Heb 10:22) giving genuine peace with God and enabling the person to live by the liberty of the Spirit in a new life of service to God and man. When we are water baptised we are also making a commitment to God to retain this state of a clear conscience (1 Pet 3:13-22) as this pleases God. Jesus said, “I am the Way (John 14:6)
2. Manna in the Gold Jar (Exod 16:32, John 4:32) For forty years the disobedient Israelites wandered through the desert and God supplied them with free manna which was collected each day as flakes, it was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. This was provided by the Lord
supernaturally and without it they would have starved to death. Each person was to gather only as much as they needed for the day, about 2 litres per person. This was called an ‘Omer’ and was the quantity that Aaron put into a gold jar for the generations to come. This means that the jar must have been a reasonable size to hold 2 litres. Moses told them not to keep any of it for the next day. Of course some of them paid no attention and they found that it rotted became full of maggots and began to smell. The manna they did not collect was burnt away each day by the heat of the sun. Only on the sixth day did they collect twice as much (4 litres) so that they could keep the Sabbath on the seventh day. They did not grow or buy this manna, it was free each day.
from flesh, in order to replicate the flesh through birth. Sufficient to say that ‘normal’ from God’s point of view does not match how we have mostly assumed or been taught by uniformed parents and teachers. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55: 6-11)
The manna is a foreshadowing of the reality of the true bread from heaven, as Jesus clearly states; ‘Jesus said to them,”I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:32-33) The Israelites were supplied physically to symbolise what would one day become the spiritual reality, the living Word of God (Jesus) who gives eternal life to men. Jesus said, in the same chapter, that his words are ‘spirit and life’ (6:63). Just as the Israelites needed to collect their manna or bread daily we too need to feed on the Word of Jesus revealed by revelation to our mind from the heart. As we discover the Word that He has placed in us we grow in knowledge of God, we eat with Him and He with us (Rev 3:16).
The creation itself has been disrupted since the fatal error of Adam and Eve to trust in Satan’s words instead of God’s (Romans 8:20 ). The Genesis story explains that mankind’s relationship to the creation changed by God’s will in hope that long-term we would turn back to him. This was to counter the darkness of Satan and his hordes of fallen angels pride, greed, lust, envy etc. which lead to death, both physically and more importantly spiritually! God had placed Adam into a perfect earth full of wonderful creations, it was a place of over abundance and blessing. No plagues, no storms, no disasters, no earthquakes of any kind - no sin or death - normal! God said that it was good. This condition of the planet continued for a time, but sin and death had entered the earth via Satan and man, God had withdrawn his presence and wisdom from mankind, because they had submitted to Satan, who became the ‘god’ of this world. He immediately started to redesign it! Only those men who somehow still looked for
God had a good experience (e.g. Enoch, Noah). Up to the time of Noah things deteriorated rapidly and we read that man obeyed Satan completely! (Genesis 6:5-9). A new world system developed that was both wicked and global. The pyramids and anti-deluvian civilisations of the earth testify to the scale of what man, led by Satan, had done. In order to save mankind the Father decided to cleanse the earth of this situation, but this would mean a huge and radical change to the planet that would be 100% irreversible. It changed the land, sea and atmosphere so radically that it would have to find a new lower state. It also meant that if man returned to serving Satan earth would ultimately pass away. He knew we would so it was a countdown to a final judgment a restart of God’s perfect plan. But what is long term plan?
The Plan of God - Salvation You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6) Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.’” First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10). As Paul makes clear Christ came ‘at just the right time’ in the post flood history to plant his plan of salvation for all those who would believe. The Son (creator) came to announce God’s plan to destroy this world and make a NEW HEAVEN & EARTH, but also to reveal the Father’s desire to save as many people as possible into
his family, restoring mankind back to himself - that’s the plan! And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev 21) So why is it all taking so long? Think of it this way - you would not exist if Christ had returned before! The Father is allowing mankind to go the whole way in his own strength. He is allowing them to build the towers that he once forbid, he is allowing us to manipulate the creation for our own selfish desires and to cure ourselves without him. He is permitting these to occur so that in the end it might fail and open the eyes of the blind to see that He is the only God! We must see that our sin and rejection of him as the Lord Creator ends in death. Sadly many billions are rejecting Christ and this is why it’s taking so long, because the Father wants multitudes in heaven to glorify him, to make things perfect for him and us. We have been told this quite clearly through John’s prophecy: After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. (Rev 7:9-10). Mankind, including many in the church global, are simply unaware of God’s plans or deny them. This creation’s demise and the evil world systems within this earth are NOT his will. Satan is still the ‘god of this world’ and controls the thoughts and actions of unbelievers. God allows this situation because he has sent his Word Jesus to rescue those who believe, those who will be with him for eternity. Will this be you? Are you clinging to this world?
continued on page 22
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Climate Crisis or God’s Judgement? The final debate of history
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. Revelation 15:1
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he history of mankind has been a very bumpy road. Manuscripts of the past, including the Bible, have revealed how kingdoms have risen and fallen. The rise and subsequent collapse of kingdoms and empires happens for numerous reasons such as wars, demographic changes, ideology, disease, politics and disasters like earthquakes. The Bible teaches that no king or kingdom can exist or rule without it in some way fulfilling God’s purposes for mankind (Dan 4) and his plan. Bible history has revealed how Yahweh dealt with his people Israel in relation to the other nations around. This record is helpful in understanding what in the world in going on when things seem chaotic. The disasters that come upon the earth and the violence and death of man and beast have deep spiritual roots. Since the earth was formed and creation placed upon it there has been a continuous spiritual war between good and evil, between angels and demons over mankind who must choose to serve one or the other.
Why God sent judgements The justice of God can sometimes seem unfair, because we do not see the underlying forces or the PAGE 18 REVIVAL TIMES
bigger picture. God’s concern for mankind is to save us from sin and from the judgement that will finally come upon Satan. That day of judgement has been set by the Father - it is inevitable and inescapable. This day is spoken of by the prophets and especially Jesus himself. It means that, in terms of priority, nothing else matters except escaping the final destruction of Satan and his kingdom. All else is just a massive distraction from the ultimate truth - we will face God, specifically Christ - one day. If we are not found in him and he in us we will perish forever. This is the urgency that the Gospel
puts forth. The Good News is not about improving this life now, although it may do temporarily, but rather it’s about ensuring that as many as possible escape the coming wrath. Our opening scripture above from Revelation speaks of the 7 last plagues that come upon the earth and upon Satan’s dark global kingdom (the World). This means that there are a number of plagues (judgements) before that day will happen occurring throughout history, but why? Why not just have done with it and finish it off? Why is God taking so long to bring the last day? (2 Pet 3:3-8). The Scriptures do answer these questions, but it doesn’t make things any easier on those who will suffer and die.
‘Natural’ disasters? The world’s reporters of plagues and disasters try to explain the events as ‘natural’. They imply that the earth has always been like this. They associate ‘natural’ with ‘normal’. But is it? Was it? They also rob God of his glory by speaking of ‘mother earth’ which is never mentioned in the Bible. Earth is not our mother in any sense from a Biblical viewpoint. The Father created the earth through the Son by the power of the Spirit. This was a non-female event! That’s because the female was not made from dust, but continued on page 20
The Gold Jar shows us that God’s Word is received into our inner spirit from Jesus on a daily basis and it’s a great free treasure within us to be discovered, like finding a treasure buried in a field. However this bread never goes stale and last forever! We can define ‘revelation’ of the Word of Truth as; the mind understanding what Christ has given to us in our spirit. This is what Paul taught us and is often misunderstood. We are not trying to get the Word of God into us but rather to discover it in that jar and get it out! This is the role of the Holy Spirit who ‘reminds us’ of what Jesus has said. “We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may UNDERSTAND what GOD HAS FREELY GIVEN US.” 1 Corin 2:12 The scriptures now serve as a useful reference to reveal what we have been given (past tense) in our inner spirit man by God when we were ‘born of the spirit’, when we believed and asked Jesus Christ to come and be Lord in our hearts. When Jesus came in, He came in ‘completely’ not just a little. The WHOLE Word of God is in you now! An eternal supply of the bread of life! This manna does not go mouldy and smell, but you do need to get revelation for your mind from Him every day. Give us our daily bread! This is the great mystery of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. He is no longer outside and untouchable, but has come to dwell ‘inside’ us, we are now His tabernacle! God and His Word are not ‘out there’ but it has been placed ‘inside your spirit man’ (see Col 1:27, 2 Corin 4:6-7, 5:17, 13:5, John 4:14, 14:26, 17:26, 1 John 2:27, 4:13, 5:12+20, Eph 3:20 )
The manna in the jar can therefore be said to represent The Truth, The Word. The Gold Jar which contains the truth, the bread of life, is a part of the recreated inner spirit man. A mysterious Holy container the gold symbolic of the spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal what is in that jar! If we do not have the Spirit of Truth then we can
never understand God (John 3:27, 1 Corin 2:14). The Christian life can therefore be understood more as a discovery of the good things he has freely given us in His Son, rather than a struggle to try and ‘be like Jesus’ or to ‘get the Word into us’ so that we will be able to keep His Laws. Jesus said that His yoke is easy, why? Because all that we would ever need HAS BEEN GIVEN absolutely and fully to us by the Word and the Spirit. And just like the Manna, it is free of charge, we just have to ‘collect it’ daily by FAITH!! We just need to know how to find it and let it dwell in us richly! Incredible! Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth ..(John 14:6)
3. Aarons Rod that budded (Numbers 17:1-13, Ezek 7:10) Aarons Rod is a fascinating item within the Ark and reveals three truths to us about this final but most essential part of the renewed spirit man. Aarons Rod came into existence after a dispute arose among the leaders of the tribes of Israel in the desert wilderness over the way God had told Moses to set apart the Levites, and particularly Aaron and his family, to serve Him in the Tabernacle. To the other leaders God’s choice and their exclusion seemed unfair (Num 16:1-2). Their complaining eventually brought a severe judgement from the Lord and many died (16:31) Still apparently unconvinced they needed further proof and to settle the matter God told Moses to place 12 staffs (symbolising each tribe) before the Ark of the Lord and the one that budded would be the chosen tribe before the Lord. This would be a form of resurrection from the dead and conclusive proof of God’s will. The next day, not only did Aarons Rod bud, but it
blossomed and bore Almonds too! This concluded the matter and established Aarons family authority to serve before the Lord as a priesthood, but he was still under Moses guidance, himself a Levite (17:10). The staff or rod therefore represents the sign of priestly authority as decreed by God. This rod is a direct reference to new life and symbolises resurrection, speaking in our context as that part of our rebel spirit man which is reborn before God, by grace. We can stand boldly before the Father through Christ our High Priest as His children by the power of His resurrection! Aaron was vindicated or justified before God and man by the rod that came to life. Similarly we too, who have come to new life in Christ, are justified by our relationship to Christ and his work on the cross of wood! We are pre-judged and totally accepted by God through Him as servants with priestly authority. Jesus rose again to life and it is the authority gained by this victory over death which he bestows upon us also who believe (Eph 2:10, 2 Corin 5:21). The Levites were given privileged access to the Holy Places of God’s Presence in the Tabernacle. As believers we too gain access to the Presence and Power of the Father from heaven itself as priests of Christ. Our inner spirit is redesigned to willingly submit to Christ’s authority. He must be Lord of our life if we are to begin to grow in His kind of power. First the bud, then the blossom and finally the fruit in abundance. Just as Aaron was chosen, Jesus was chosen and we are chosen to be as priests before him. To bear fruit we must learn to use this authority and our position against the rebellion of Satan and his evil hordes. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. John 14:6 * Some people are also born with inherited demons especially when from a non-christian, idol based religion or occult family.
In
the next edition we will examine
the revelation of the
SOUL. n
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A Message For Our Times PART 9 - By Stephen Turnham
“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Gal 5:24) The ninth part of 12 parts looking at how the church reaches out to the lost.
PART 9 - HOW DO WE REACH MATURITY IN CHRIST?
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he revealed purpose of the church is a twofold mission, just as Jesus had a twofold mission to defeat Satan for us and to save a body of disciples who would be like him. The true church of Jesus is never static, but always looking outwards and, just like Jesus, it sows the Word of life into the darkness of the world. As Jesus said to Andrew and Peter, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt 4:18-20). This maturing was clearly a process of change over time that they would need to go through in order to fulfil Christ’s will for them. These brothers, and the others that Jesus called, immediately recognised the call of the Messiah whom they had already been looking for, having previously been obedient to John the Baptist’s teaching of kingdom and repentance. Any, and all of us, who are born again by the Spirit and awake to our Father are as new born spiritual ‘babies’, our minds being immature in the knowledge of God and his ways. The church body was designed by Jesus to wonderfully care and nurture these new converts through teaching, healing and encouragement and apprenticeship or what the Bible calls ‘discipleship’. The disciples learnt practically about the Kingdom by going out with Jesus on his mission to every town and village in Israel. They saw the way he preached the Kingdom of Heaven and demonstrated the power of the PAGE 8 REVIVAL TIMES
Father’s love through healing and deliverance of God’s people. As prophesied 400 years before by Malachi, and then confirmed by John the Baptist (Mal 3:2; Luke 3:16) Jesus was like a ‘refiners fire’ or a ‘fullers soap’, cleansing the people of Satan’s grip and the oppression of false Judaic religion. Many other disciples (x70) were also sent out and given a foretaste of what the rest of their life would be like if they would serve Jesus as Lord - they thought they were invincible! Jesus then celebrates the fact that they are learning how to operate in the Kingdom way, but then he pulls them back to the greater truth that their names are written in heaven. Despite the disciples thinking they had made it big time Jesus still calls them spiritual babies!
Jesus was washing them with his Words from the Father by the Spirit. His words have the life of heaven, because they are Spirit and truth (John 6:63). This is ultimately what brings us to maturity and a greater awareness of what God’s will is for each one of us. The Spirit in us not only seeks to teach us the meaning of the Scriptures, but to receive directly from heaven itself. Plus he wants us to lay our requests to the Father of lights to target the work of his angels on behalf of the saints in the earth (Heb 1:14; Psa 91:11; 103:20; 104:4; Matt 4:11; 18:10).
“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matt 10:24-25)
“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.” (Luke 10:17-21)
Jesus was training his men to become like him, in action as well as character, whilst on the job himself doing his Fathers work - bringing life to the spiritually and even physically dead! As his holy body on earth today we are called to the same mission, as the Spirit guides and creates opportunity, but we must also be mature. Christ must be, as it were, formed in us otherwise we will deceive ourselves and others - babes do not go out to work immediately, but must be made ready through feeding and growth in wisdom and knowledge of God and his ways. We see this principle all over the Gospels and the letters of the apostles. “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Gal 4:19) “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become
The Important work of Angels Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. John 1
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he Scriptures are full of instances where God sends angels to intervene, give messages or pronounce judgements in the earth and yet most people, even believers, are unaware of them today. When Jesus called Nathanael and the other early disciples they had no idea who Jesus really was. Their concept of the Messiah was as a conquering king who would set Israel free from the Romans. This was how they had been schooled by their teachers and parents for many years, it was one of the secret national hopes. However, as we know, this was not God’s will at all! Yes Jesus is the King of Israel, but not in the way that they wanted, but in the way the Father wanted. Almost immediately Jesus says something to them that puzzled them and maybe it puzzles you the reader? “ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” What was Jesus talking about? What had this to do with the Messiah? No doubt they were confused for a bit and then just cracked on following Jesus. Perhaps they remembered that something similar sounding to this was mentioned by their ancestor Jacob way back in history, Jacob’s ladder. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. (Gen 28:12-17).
The connection between heaven and earth Jacob saw the workings of the invisible spiritual world that interacts with the earth. He saw how it is that the Lord of heaven sends his servants, the angels, into the earth to perform his will. We read throughout the Bible how angels came and went in the lives of the patriarchs guiding and intervening in history. We read how Israel is protected and judged by the angels and we read about the battle between the fallen angels and God’s loyal army. Jesus the Son’s entrance into the earth was announced by the whole host of heaven and to Mary and Joseph. By stealth God was entering into the kingdom of darkness with his secret weapon, God incarnate! And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:26-33). Six months prior to this event the angel had already been to Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth announcing John the Baptist. Jesus was to bring the Kingdom of Heaven into the earth for a time and the angels of God would pass through him (like a gate) into the earth to bring miracles. These miracles reveal the power of the heavenly Kingdom where God dwells, where there is no sin or evil, no pain or sickness absolutely no suffering only pure joy and peace. Continuously Jesus would tell them about his Kingdom and that it is not of this world. His power continued on page 20
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continued from page 13
Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” Jer 10:1-5: “Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.” Deut 12:29-32: “When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. Deut 16:21-22: Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy PAGE 16 REVIVAL TIMES
God hateth.” Asherah poles are a deal-breaker with God because it results in child sacrifice! Learn NOT the ways of the heathen, and DO NOT bring a detestable thing into your home! Rev. 2 calls such things the “depths of Satan”, or hidden tricks, and makes specific mention of “Jezebel” and her teachings. Read Psalm 80. When we use other Pagan symbols of fertility such as wreaths (symbols of a womb to Pagans), or Easter eggs, such behaviour offends our Maker. When we teach these things to little children, causing them to stumble, we are doing exactly
what our enemy wants. All popular customs represent institutionalised witchcraft, openly practiced without shame because of the ignorance that is in the people doing them. “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph. 4:18) Now you have received the truth of these things you must make a choice, either the Lord is God or your Pagan Traditions of Men. Without true repentance the blessing and anointing of God cannot come to your house, church or ministry. Why do you think Christianity in our nation has been declining over the past 100 years? It’s because the church has been polluted by paganism and humanism. There is no excuse for anyone claiming to be a Christian and to follow Christ and God, failure to repent of this paganism and all traditions not instituted by Christ and the apostles will result in Satanic curse and attack. This is why there is sickness, poverty, and all manner of social problems as people co-operate with these doctrines of devils. “He who has ears, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches”
Strange Fire before the Lord As Christians the Bible teaches that we are all priests before God and that we are to offer to him acceptable sacrifices. By participating in pagan rituals we are not offering acceptable sacrifices but rather we are trying to worship God with ‘strange fire’ and this always results in judgement even death! “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron,This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.” (Lev 10) n
such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” (Heb 5:12) Both these passages show that the work of the teacher is to help bring young believers to a place of independent maturity, whereby they can stand on their own feet and resist Satan. Just as we feed our physical body, we must also feed our inner spirit man food and drink. The less we feed him, the less we grow, if we stop feeding on Him (The Word) we begin to starve and get weaker resistance to Satan, demons and the deceptions of men. Paul and the apostles want us to get onto the ‘meat’ of His truth, because this is for the mature who bear greater fruit for the Father. The writer of Hebrews continues and explains this principle: “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age (mature), even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Heb 5:13-
and so come under judgement! Evil becomes good and good evil in those who have no understanding. The book of Hebrews does contain a lot of spiritual ‘meat’ from chapter 6 onwards and many of the Scriptures cannot be understood by those who remain unsaved or ‘babes’ in their faith. Just think what Jesus said: “Then Jesus said unto them,Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” (John 6:53-58)
14)
This is an essential revelation to learn from the apostle, ‘who by reason of use’ of the word, ‘have their (spiritual) senses exercised to discern both good and evil’. It’s by regular and constant feeding on the Word of God for oneself, and from sound teaching by qualified men (as defined by scripture), that we grow spiritual senses, so that we can eat the ‘meat’ of heaven itself (revelation of Christ). It’s interesting that in this teaching the writer implies that we should get to the point of being able to then teach others (fruit) and thus feed the next generation emerging. Notice that the purpose of this maturity is to ‘discern between good and evil’. This takes us back to the garden of Eden and the tree of the knowledge of ‘good and evil’. Without the foundation of Christ and His Word and His Spirit we will not be able to ‘discern’ or understand the difference between these two as already defined by God. As a consequence of spiritual blindness carnal people are driven by the desires of the flesh and prefer evil to good
Jesus was not speaking of his natural human flesh, but rather that he was the ‘living Word’ incarnate from heaven - what he calls ‘the true bread from heaven’ - the spiritual food of revelation. The good news is that every believer can certainly come to a place of maturity by dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to eating and drinking the Word (Flesh) and the Spirit (Blood) and especially if we are encouraged and helped by those more mature in wisdom and knowledge. Many old traditional religious organisations are not really well designed to bring their members to maturity and independence, but rather to keep people dependent on them for small portions of food each week. This can give a false sense of safety and protection, but not victory and effectiveness.
The apostles were always looking to bring disciples to maturity and then to send out evangelists and the ministries to spread the good news further. Not everyone gets sent out, that’s up to the Holy Spirit, but certainly the potential should be there for every member to be used at any stage as needed. The greatest will be the servant of all and not the one in charge over others, that’s a deception of pride. The church should be one of mutual respect, love and communal agreement in the Spirit of Truth. Paul and the other apostles were never ‘in charge’ of the others, but rather were honoured for their wisdom and knowledge of Christ. Sadly often times they were actually ejected from communities and towns because of the stance on retaining the truth.
The signs of maturity How can we tell if we are near, or have reached some level of maturity? Well it’s not like life in the natural. That maturity comes by the passage of time, the body naturally grows as is fed and watered daily. It’s interesting that mature thinking does not always come at the same speed as physical growth. How often adults have a delinquent or immature childish mind. Spiritual maturity can appear in a new creature at any stage of life depending on the level of the Word and Spirit in that person. Think of Jesus himself who was teaching the scribes in the temple at age 12! Maturity does have some obvious signs and this relates to the earlier texts in Hebrews which told us that the mature mind can ‘discern’ between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ and is someone ‘able to teach’ and is ‘skilful’. Paul himself said that he was a ‘master builder’ (1 Corin 3:10). Also as our opening text shows the mature Christian is able to overcome the temptations and lusts associated with the carnal flesh (Gal 5:24). As we know Jesus is the ‘chief cornerstone’ and incarnate, pure heavenly wisdom. Looking at his life reveals to us what maturity really means. As God in the flesh his discernment was
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awesome, he knew what was in a man’s heart or mind! The way he lived is an example of complete maturity as far as the Father is concerned. This is why Paul and the apostles taught that our aim in life is to imitate Christ in the power of his Spirit. When Pentecost came after the crucifixion and the Holy Spirit was sent to believers in power Jesus gave the ability to share in his divine life and to become like him in many of these mature ways. We should therefore be familiar with the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit, and also the ‘gifts’ of the Spirit that freely operate in someone who is mature, i.e. like Christ. This is not down to any skill of our own, but given by the Spirit who lives in us by his divine grace. None of us are likely to ever reach the full
perfection of Christ in this life which is why our witness will be as a corporate household of faith. In saying that, this is not an excuse to give up seeking the Lord to be changed in this life and to press forward to be the best we can be today, from glory to glory. Paul puts it beautifully when writing to the Philippians: “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being PAGE 10 REVIVAL TIMES
made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be mature, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” (Phil 3:8-15) Clear signs of maturity are repentance from sinful behaviour and the desire to help others in need, especially believers. Jesus and Paul call this ‘crucifying the flesh’ and ‘dying daily’ to
the desire to be selfish and the need to sin against your own body or against others. As we near maturity we should have overcome the evil one and be walking in purity, holiness, speaking the truth in love and free of wilful sins. This means that if we are in fellowship one with another in the Spirit our sins are covered by his blood, because he intercedes for us. We come under the ‘law of the Spirit of life’ or ‘law of Christ’ which frees us from all condemnation resulting from sin. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8:1-4) “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corin 7:1) “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1 Thess 3:13) “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” (1 Thess 4:7) “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb 12:14) The purpose of all ministry within the body (assembly) should be to edify and equip the individual and the family in the foundational truth of Christ and the ability to hear the Holy Spirit for oneself. Anything that detracts from this process is either a heresy or a hindrance. These are the issues that the letters of the apostles seek to deal with as a service and the grace of God. This is the liberty of Christ in us, the hope of glory, and when effectively applied many come to maturity and pass on the good news to others. “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thess 4:1-8) n
Calvin the “Christian” Murdering Blasphemer By Keith of christianrethink.co.uk (Used with permission)
C
alvin plays a key role in the history of the Churches and Christianity. Mostly he is lauded as a great sage, a virtual Protestant Saint, and, of course, the mastermind behind the Reformation. As so often with these matters, the truth is somewhat different. Calvin was born in 1509. This was over 80 years after the reformer John Wycliffe was burned at the stake; and Wycliffe’s burning did not take place until over 40 years after he himself died. The Catholics had to dig his body up to burn it. So the total time between Wycliffe’s Bible translating and other reforming activities, and the start of Calvins’, is the better part of two centuries. Calvin was very, very far from being in the forefront of the Reformation. Calvin was born in France to a strongly Catholic family, and was expected to become a Priest. He was very bright, and already working as a clerk to a Bishop at the age of twelve. He subsequently attended the prestigious College de Montaigu in Paris. This is the same college
where Ignatious Loyola saw fit to remain for seven years. Ignatious Loyola, of course, was the founder of the infamous, counter-reformation Jesuits. Ignatious and Calvin were not contemporaries at the college, but there is a strong indication here of the sort teaching that Calvin was immersed in. There is no clear narrative of Calvin’s conversion, something which is debated to this day. Yet by 1536, at the age of just 27, Calvin had published his key work, “Institutes of the Christian Religion”. Notice here that by this age he had not merely begun his research, not merely written the book, was not still searching for a publisher, but had already done all of these things, and the book was published. Even Jesus did not begin his Ministry until the age of thirty. How did Calvin have such a meteoric rise to respected Reformation Author, given his background, and given not only the lack of any clear account of his conversion, but the likelihood that he accredited his personal Christianity to his Catholic Baptism as a baby? Infant Baptism is very significant in Calvin’s story as we shall see in the next paragraph. Michael Servetus was a Spanish Doctor and polymath, and was the first European to accurately describe the flow of blood through the heart. He was also a radical Christian reformer. He did not accept the standard doctrine of the Trinity, was opposed to Calvin’s view of predestination, and like many radical reformers did not accept Infant Baptism. The term Anabaptist was used for those reformers who only accepted baptism given to adults following a conscious decision for Christ. Servetus was condemned to death by the Catholics. He escaped but fell into the hands of
Calvin in Geneva, where he was duly burned at the stake. His was not the only execution carried out in the Geneva Theocracy that Calvin led. Beheading, drowning and burning were all methods of execution used. The execution of Servetus stands out because of his fame at the time, his scientific accomplishments, and particularly for the justifications used for his execution such as the rejection of Infant Baptism. Jesus never used force or manipulation on anybody. He spoke the truth and those who would not accept it were left to go their own way. Even the valid-inits-time execution of a woman for adultery was quashed by Jesus. The idea that Calvin was a true disciple of Jesus Christ is untenable in view of his actions. The other reason to reject Calvin as a Christian is his preaching of predestination. Calvin’s version of predestination makes God into an unjust ogre, who punishes men for eternity on account of living a sinful life; a sinful life about which they had no choice, because God made them sinful. See more on this both here, Predestination 101, and here, Free Will and Predestination: No Contradiction. It is not possible to come to a compromise conclusion about Calvin. Perhaps he was one of the Greatest Christians who ever lived, as many believe. Alternatively he was a fraud, with the mission of destroying and sowing discord among the radical reformers. Just one part of his legacy today is that many reject God because they have accepted Calvin’s monstrous depiction of Him. We all have to decide whether Calvin was Great or Fake. Our decision on that point matters deeply. n Please visit Keith’s website with other articles. REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 15
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consequences for those who yield to Satan’s master plan of ‘self worship’ and the worship of idols. But how does God our loving Father deal with this turning away, this apostasy of known truth and reality. Look at Israel and how they were judged to see the ways of God to correct our direction. But Jeshurun (Israel) waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. (Deut 32:15-20). It seems that all God has to do is hide his face from us and leave us in the hand of the devil in order to judge us. He gives to us what we wanted, so that we experience the true nature of the evil dark world in which we are born! If God removes his protection because WE choose to follow evil things then death will result, it’s a law. This is why the world is in such a dark place, the law of sin and death. It has not learnt it’s lessons over these last 2000 years! Despite the Gospel of the Kingdom extending to every corner of the earth mankind has on the whole rejected Christ, they mock him and his followers because they think that so called science is superior!
Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done When the disciples enquired of Jesus how they should pray they were given an unexpected answer. They were given a powerful precis of what’s required for the earth to be blessed by the living God. It reveals the battle between the two spiritual kingdoms on earth. Crucially it also reveals some of the conditions necessary for us to receive his forgiveness, yes ‘conditions’ are attached to the Christian faith! Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matt 6:9-15) On one occasion when Israel had forsaken the Lord their enemies managed to defeat them and take away the sacred Ark of the Covenant (Law). This symbolised the removal of God’s glory (his blessing) from them. But God had already planned how he was going to help his people return back to him through the young prophet Samuel. PAGE 14 REVIVAL TIMES
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said,What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said,What is there done, my son? And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. And she said,The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken. (1 Samuel 4) The Israelites had fallen so far that they had made the Ark like unto an idol! They thought the power was the Ark rather than the God who blessed it! They took it into battle as a weapon when it was not meant to leave the holy place in which it was hidden! They did everything wrong and lost. But the Philistines didn’t really win because they soon discovered that God cannot tolerate idols! When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. (1 Samuel 5) For the world and earth to receive any blessing then the idols and other gods must be done away with because God is a holy (separated) God and there is no other! When Jesus returns, like Gideon, he will destroy the idols and all those who worship them. n
Idol Worship in Modern Times For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations,The Lord reigneth. (1 Chron 16:25-31)
M
illions today are looking at the World situation and wondering why it is so unstable.
How come after all these years of so called modernisation that so many of the historic problems have not been resolved? Things like hunger, sickness, war, corruption, inequality etc. seem to come back again and again. Levels of pollution and exploitation of the poor and their resources is still on a mass scale. Everyone knows about these issues, but nothing seems to be able to prevent them. The above passage from Chronicles reveals the answer to us as believers. The old testament records of how God related to and disciplined Israel reveal great eternal truths. God does not change, his laws of creation and morality do not change either. There was a reason why God made Laws for Israel, the main reason being to keep them from iniquity (worship of demons) which leads to death, and to give them open access to His divine life. The first two, of the ten commandments given at Sinai, go straight for the thing that will hinder them most - idols. And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. A ‘graven image’ is a carved or moulded idol which people superstitiously believe represents a ‘deity’ or ‘god’ who will help them in life. However, in their ignorance these ‘heathen’ people do not realise that behind this deception there is a demonic force that seeks to manipulate their soul and spirit. Worship given to such enemies of God the creator results in the worshipper themselves becoming an enemy of God. This brings several forms of judgement upon those who practice such superstitions. What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. (1 Corinthians 10:19-21) Most heathen religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Satanism, Catholicism, Paganism, Animism etc. have carved idols and symbols. In most cases they would try to deny that they worship a demon, they think that the idol connects them to the original human or animal. However the Scripture and historical experience reveal that this is the case. Denial of this truth is in itself demonic. Incredibly the vast majority of people on earth today still insist on worshipping idols! If we do not worship the creator Jesus Christ we will worship anything or anyone. “Man
is made to adore and to obey : but if you will not
command him , if you give him nothing to worship , he will fashion his own divinities , and find a chieftain in his own passions .”
“For
Benjamin Disraeli G od , we do not worship anything .” G.K. Chesterton
when we cease to worship
nothing , we worship
The ancient leaders of Egypt and Rome promoted themselves as ‘gods’ and commanded worship of the ‘gods’. These Biblical cultures also had many gods that were connected to their invented calendars. Many of these have been passed down the generations and some have morphed or adapted to the modern age appearing more acceptable. The media and movie industries latch on to humanity’s innate desire for gods and make them come alive on the big screen! They then celebrate themselves and award themselves mini idols for their portrayals and deceptions! However as we have already seen there are
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Kobe Bryant poses in the press room with the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for “Dear Basketball,” during the 90th Annual Academy Awards on March 4, 2018, in Hollywood, California.
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Why Christ never promotes Xmas ASHERAH & THE CHRISTMAS TREE CUSTOM BAAL & ASHERAH: THE SUN KING AND HIS CONSORT The word “Asherah” (groves) is found at least 40 times in the Torah, and refers to a wooden object used in worship of a consort of BAAL, known by the name of ASHERAH. The image of Asherah was a TREE used by the Pagan Canaanites and Phoenicians. One Phoenician was “Jezebel”, who married Ahab, king of Israel (Samaritan king). When northern Israel was dispersed into the nations by the Assyrians in 722 BCE, they carried this “tree custom” with them. Notice Deut 7:26: “Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.” Look at the verses around Rev. 2:20 where JESUS himself speaks to the church: “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” Yahweh distinctly warned Israel to not erect an Asherah next to His altar, nor bring a “detestable thing” into your house. Even though YOU may not remember what it represented long ago, God hasn’t forgotten at all. He does not change and our ignorance is not an excuse - ask the Jews! As some have said, the Asherah is a deal-breaker with God - He won’t stand for it. He dispersed the northern tribes of Israel into the nations, and they have lived as Pagans for 2700+ years. They left his Covenant, but they have held fast to the Asherim (plural of Asherah). Read Ez. 4; the house of Israel would be in captivity for 390 years; but because they still did not return to the truth, the PAGE 12 REVIVAL TIMES
penalty became 7-fold, or 2730 years (Lev. 26).
WREATH, ORNAMENTS The wreath symbolised the sun, and at the same time the “womb”, both thought of as symbols of fertility to Pagans. The sun was “male”, but “his” symbol was that of the female. The vertical tree was decorated with male symbols of fertility, testes (balls), yet was the image of the “female”, connecting the heavens to the Earth, and worshipped as Asherah, Astarte, Artemis, Athena, Isis, Gaia, Nana, Austron, Ostara, Eastre, Easter, Aphrodite, Eostre, Astoreth,
Ishtar, Diana, Ninurta, Cres, Nut, Venus, Indrani, Devaki, Tanit, and others. This tree was named Asherah in the Hebrew Scriptures, and her worship continued as we see recorded in the book of Acts, chapter 19. She is still worshipped today by Wiccans, and other Earth Mother cults. The Vernal Equinox pointed to the impregnation of the Earth Mother, and the Winter Solstice pointed to the birth of Baal, the sun, showing the human gestation cycle of nine months. It was all about fertility, and sex. “ASHER” is a Hebrew term meaning “happy”, and is a word used as a proper noun, the father of the tribe of Asher (alef-shin-resh). This term was
modified, and became the word “ASHERAH”, a proper name used by Pagans for the female consort of Baal (Celtic Bel). Baal/ Asherah worship is clearly seen during the time of Elijah, when 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah assembled at Mount Carmel, and Elijah challenged them to decide whether Yahweh is God, or Baal (and his consort, Asherah). A sister asked the following questions regarding Asherim:
1. What is an Asherah? The adversary misled mankind with various fertility rites, and receives “worship” through these rites, which are witchcraft (rebellion). God doesn’t provide us with the details of the heathen rites, but we know generally from Scripture they performed their rituals in forests or “groves”. The word “Asherah” is often translated as “groves”. Scripture mentions how the Israelites would bring “Asherim” and put them near His Hekal (Temple), behaviour which we see inherited as the “Christmas Tree”. Wikipedia gives this information: “The modern Christmas tree was developed in early modern Germany (where it is today called Weihnachtsbaum or Christbaum) with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly 15th century, in which devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. It acquired popularity beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century, at first among the upper classes. The Christmas tree has also been known as the “Yuletree”, especially in discussions of its folkloric origins. The earliest references to Yule are by way of indigenous Germanic month names Ærra Jéola (Before Yule (Dec)) or Jiuli and Æftera Jéola (After Yule (Jan)). Scholars have connected the celebration to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin and the pagan Anglo-
Saxon Modraniht. Modranicht, an event focused on collective female beings attested by Bede as having occurred among the pagan Anglo-Saxons on what is now Christmas Eve, has been seen as further evidence of a fertility event during the Yule period.” This Pagan festival involved drinking, killing animals and sprinkling their blood in pagan temples, fornication and over eating (sound familiar?!) The Nordic roots also explains why we have reindeer and the Santa figure who flies in the sky (prince of the power of the air)! Most probably the trees originally used in Canaan were date palms, but in the modern world this has become the common Nordic forest tree the fir. Pagans see this time as an opportunity for ‘letting their hair down’ with increased sexual perversion and the like! Modern witchcraft and Satanism in general follow most closely to the worship of Asherah. The name is most likely directly related to Ishtar, and Artemis, worshipped by modern day witches as well as the ancient Ephesians (Acts 19:28). Stumps of trees found in groves were also used as the altars of Asherah, which may be directly related to the fallen Nimrod, cut down by Shem (as tradition informs us). Let’s face it, true Christians should not go anywhere near this creation worship which is Satanism pure and simple - there is even a 5 pointed star on top of most trees the mark of the beast!
2. What does she look like? Images of Asherah vary, but you can see one opposite. A clay idol. Jesus has not wanted His people to study this demonic worship, yet it persists today. The most insidious part is right out in the open, and not “occult” (hidden) at all: the Christmas tree object and all the decorations and gifts! A more secretive side is also growing in popularity however. In fact, it is the most popular fad among teens and young adults today. The reason it is not very easy to learn about is mostly because it is “occult” (hidden)
luciferian; it has been so since the patterns of worshipping the adversary went “underground” after the execution of Nimrod. They had once practiced their rebellion openly, but then withdrew into secrecy to hide their worship behind symbolism, which could only be interpreted correctly by those initiated in the occult. One dominant pattern found in occultic behaviour is the matrilinear (mother-goddess) ideal. Rebellion against God is accentuated by this matrilinear focus, as opposed to the patrilinear (Father) - so we see the moon being used to represent the female astrologically. Although the original concept of Asherim worship has remained hidden from the general public, the acceptance of the solstice tree is drawn directly from the Pagan worship, transformed for public consumption. The Asherim were also considered altars in themselves, where animals and humans were ritually sacrificed. This altar could take the form of a tree stump, with the trunk snapped-off, leaving jagged spike-like splinters. The Christmas tree phenomenon is also a type of altar, where gifts and offerings are placed. Tree worship (kneeling before it) is the most prominent feature, however
the serpent gets involved also. It seems that the adversary has the tree and the serpent seared into ‘his’ mind indelibly. A serpent around a stump is one of the symbols we find used in ancient Pagan religions and Freemasonry. The Tree of Life (ets chayim) and the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil may be the sources this fallen being is borrowing from in the design of the false worship. But we know it is forbidden to worship God in any false or perverted manner. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and we certainly know that any involvement with Asherim is witchcraft. Some have even suggested that the symbol of “the cross” may have been a style of Asherah pole used by certain Pagans, and that it was brought into the mixed worship of Christianity by Constantine. Certainly, the Christmas tree is now considered a “Christian” symbol, yet the common culture has no idea how it actually relates to anything associated with Jesus. We are told to EXPOSE the darkness at Eph 5:5-14: “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.”
BAAL & ASHERAH COMPETE WITH GOD: 1 Kings 18:16-21: “So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the continued on page 16
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 13
Why Christ never promotes Xmas ASHERAH & THE CHRISTMAS TREE CUSTOM BAAL & ASHERAH: THE SUN KING AND HIS CONSORT The word “Asherah” (groves) is found at least 40 times in the Torah, and refers to a wooden object used in worship of a consort of BAAL, known by the name of ASHERAH. The image of Asherah was a TREE used by the Pagan Canaanites and Phoenicians. One Phoenician was “Jezebel”, who married Ahab, king of Israel (Samaritan king). When northern Israel was dispersed into the nations by the Assyrians in 722 BCE, they carried this “tree custom” with them. Notice Deut 7:26: “Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.” Look at the verses around Rev. 2:20 where JESUS himself speaks to the church: “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” Yahweh distinctly warned Israel to not erect an Asherah next to His altar, nor bring a “detestable thing” into your house. Even though YOU may not remember what it represented long ago, God hasn’t forgotten at all. He does not change and our ignorance is not an excuse - ask the Jews! As some have said, the Asherah is a deal-breaker with God - He won’t stand for it. He dispersed the northern tribes of Israel into the nations, and they have lived as Pagans for 2700+ years. They left his Covenant, but they have held fast to the Asherim (plural of Asherah). Read Ez. 4; the house of Israel would be in captivity for 390 years; but because they still did not return to the truth, the PAGE 12 REVIVAL TIMES
penalty became 7-fold, or 2730 years (Lev. 26).
WREATH, ORNAMENTS The wreath symbolised the sun, and at the same time the “womb”, both thought of as symbols of fertility to Pagans. The sun was “male”, but “his” symbol was that of the female. The vertical tree was decorated with male symbols of fertility, testes (balls), yet was the image of the “female”, connecting the heavens to the Earth, and worshipped as Asherah, Astarte, Artemis, Athena, Isis, Gaia, Nana, Austron, Ostara, Eastre, Easter, Aphrodite, Eostre, Astoreth,
Ishtar, Diana, Ninurta, Cres, Nut, Venus, Indrani, Devaki, Tanit, and others. This tree was named Asherah in the Hebrew Scriptures, and her worship continued as we see recorded in the book of Acts, chapter 19. She is still worshipped today by Wiccans, and other Earth Mother cults. The Vernal Equinox pointed to the impregnation of the Earth Mother, and the Winter Solstice pointed to the birth of Baal, the sun, showing the human gestation cycle of nine months. It was all about fertility, and sex. “ASHER” is a Hebrew term meaning “happy”, and is a word used as a proper noun, the father of the tribe of Asher (alef-shin-resh). This term was
modified, and became the word “ASHERAH”, a proper name used by Pagans for the female consort of Baal (Celtic Bel). Baal/ Asherah worship is clearly seen during the time of Elijah, when 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah assembled at Mount Carmel, and Elijah challenged them to decide whether Yahweh is God, or Baal (and his consort, Asherah). A sister asked the following questions regarding Asherim:
1. What is an Asherah? The adversary misled mankind with various fertility rites, and receives “worship” through these rites, which are witchcraft (rebellion). God doesn’t provide us with the details of the heathen rites, but we know generally from Scripture they performed their rituals in forests or “groves”. The word “Asherah” is often translated as “groves”. Scripture mentions how the Israelites would bring “Asherim” and put them near His Hekal (Temple), behaviour which we see inherited as the “Christmas Tree”. Wikipedia gives this information: “The modern Christmas tree was developed in early modern Germany (where it is today called Weihnachtsbaum or Christbaum) with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly 15th century, in which devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. It acquired popularity beyond Germany during the second half of the 19th century, at first among the upper classes. The Christmas tree has also been known as the “Yuletree”, especially in discussions of its folkloric origins. The earliest references to Yule are by way of indigenous Germanic month names Ærra Jéola (Before Yule (Dec)) or Jiuli and Æftera Jéola (After Yule (Jan)). Scholars have connected the celebration to the Wild Hunt, the god Odin and the pagan Anglo-
Saxon Modraniht. Modranicht, an event focused on collective female beings attested by Bede as having occurred among the pagan Anglo-Saxons on what is now Christmas Eve, has been seen as further evidence of a fertility event during the Yule period.” This Pagan festival involved drinking, killing animals and sprinkling their blood in pagan temples, fornication and over eating (sound familiar?!) The Nordic roots also explains why we have reindeer and the Santa figure who flies in the sky (prince of the power of the air)! Most probably the trees originally used in Canaan were date palms, but in the modern world this has become the common Nordic forest tree the fir. Pagans see this time as an opportunity for ‘letting their hair down’ with increased sexual perversion and the like! Modern witchcraft and Satanism in general follow most closely to the worship of Asherah. The name is most likely directly related to Ishtar, and Artemis, worshipped by modern day witches as well as the ancient Ephesians (Acts 19:28). Stumps of trees found in groves were also used as the altars of Asherah, which may be directly related to the fallen Nimrod, cut down by Shem (as tradition informs us). Let’s face it, true Christians should not go anywhere near this creation worship which is Satanism pure and simple - there is even a 5 pointed star on top of most trees the mark of the beast!
2. What does she look like? Images of Asherah vary, but you can see one opposite. A clay idol. Jesus has not wanted His people to study this demonic worship, yet it persists today. The most insidious part is right out in the open, and not “occult” (hidden) at all: the Christmas tree object and all the decorations and gifts! A more secretive side is also growing in popularity however. In fact, it is the most popular fad among teens and young adults today. The reason it is not very easy to learn about is mostly because it is “occult” (hidden)
luciferian; it has been so since the patterns of worshipping the adversary went “underground” after the execution of Nimrod. They had once practiced their rebellion openly, but then withdrew into secrecy to hide their worship behind symbolism, which could only be interpreted correctly by those initiated in the occult. One dominant pattern found in occultic behaviour is the matrilinear (mother-goddess) ideal. Rebellion against God is accentuated by this matrilinear focus, as opposed to the patrilinear (Father) - so we see the moon being used to represent the female astrologically. Although the original concept of Asherim worship has remained hidden from the general public, the acceptance of the solstice tree is drawn directly from the Pagan worship, transformed for public consumption. The Asherim were also considered altars in themselves, where animals and humans were ritually sacrificed. This altar could take the form of a tree stump, with the trunk snapped-off, leaving jagged spike-like splinters. The Christmas tree phenomenon is also a type of altar, where gifts and offerings are placed. Tree worship (kneeling before it) is the most prominent feature, however
the serpent gets involved also. It seems that the adversary has the tree and the serpent seared into ‘his’ mind indelibly. A serpent around a stump is one of the symbols we find used in ancient Pagan religions and Freemasonry. The Tree of Life (ets chayim) and the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil may be the sources this fallen being is borrowing from in the design of the false worship. But we know it is forbidden to worship God in any false or perverted manner. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and we certainly know that any involvement with Asherim is witchcraft. Some have even suggested that the symbol of “the cross” may have been a style of Asherah pole used by certain Pagans, and that it was brought into the mixed worship of Christianity by Constantine. Certainly, the Christmas tree is now considered a “Christian” symbol, yet the common culture has no idea how it actually relates to anything associated with Jesus. We are told to EXPOSE the darkness at Eph 5:5-14: “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible.”
BAAL & ASHERAH COMPETE WITH GOD: 1 Kings 18:16-21: “So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the continued on page 16
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 13
continued from page 11
consequences for those who yield to Satan’s master plan of ‘self worship’ and the worship of idols. But how does God our loving Father deal with this turning away, this apostasy of known truth and reality. Look at Israel and how they were judged to see the ways of God to correct our direction. But Jeshurun (Israel) waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. (Deut 32:15-20). It seems that all God has to do is hide his face from us and leave us in the hand of the devil in order to judge us. He gives to us what we wanted, so that we experience the true nature of the evil dark world in which we are born! If God removes his protection because WE choose to follow evil things then death will result, it’s a law. This is why the world is in such a dark place, the law of sin and death. It has not learnt it’s lessons over these last 2000 years! Despite the Gospel of the Kingdom extending to every corner of the earth mankind has on the whole rejected Christ, they mock him and his followers because they think that so called science is superior!
Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done When the disciples enquired of Jesus how they should pray they were given an unexpected answer. They were given a powerful precis of what’s required for the earth to be blessed by the living God. It reveals the battle between the two spiritual kingdoms on earth. Crucially it also reveals some of the conditions necessary for us to receive his forgiveness, yes ‘conditions’ are attached to the Christian faith! Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come,Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matt 6:9-15) On one occasion when Israel had forsaken the Lord their enemies managed to defeat them and take away the sacred Ark of the Covenant (Law). This symbolised the removal of God’s glory (his blessing) from them. But God had already planned how he was going to help his people return back to him through the young prophet Samuel. PAGE 14 REVIVAL TIMES
And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out. And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said,What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli. Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see. And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said,What is there done, my son? And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken. And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. And his daughter in law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. And she said,The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken. (1 Samuel 4) The Israelites had fallen so far that they had made the Ark like unto an idol! They thought the power was the Ark rather than the God who blessed it! They took it into battle as a weapon when it was not meant to leave the holy place in which it was hidden! They did everything wrong and lost. But the Philistines didn’t really win because they soon discovered that God cannot tolerate idols! When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the Lord. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. (1 Samuel 5) For the world and earth to receive any blessing then the idols and other gods must be done away with because God is a holy (separated) God and there is no other! When Jesus returns, like Gideon, he will destroy the idols and all those who worship them. n
Idol Worship in Modern Times For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto the Lord, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations,The Lord reigneth. (1 Chron 16:25-31)
M
illions today are looking at the World situation and wondering why it is so unstable.
How come after all these years of so called modernisation that so many of the historic problems have not been resolved? Things like hunger, sickness, war, corruption, inequality etc. seem to come back again and again. Levels of pollution and exploitation of the poor and their resources is still on a mass scale. Everyone knows about these issues, but nothing seems to be able to prevent them. The above passage from Chronicles reveals the answer to us as believers. The old testament records of how God related to and disciplined Israel reveal great eternal truths. God does not change, his laws of creation and morality do not change either. There was a reason why God made Laws for Israel, the main reason being to keep them from iniquity (worship of demons) which leads to death, and to give them open access to His divine life. The first two, of the ten commandments given at Sinai, go straight for the thing that will hinder them most - idols. And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. A ‘graven image’ is a carved or moulded idol which people superstitiously believe represents a ‘deity’ or ‘god’ who will help them in life. However, in their ignorance these ‘heathen’ people do not realise that behind this deception there is a demonic force that seeks to manipulate their soul and spirit. Worship given to such enemies of God the creator results in the worshipper themselves becoming an enemy of God. This brings several forms of judgement upon those who practice such superstitions. What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. (1 Corinthians 10:19-21) Most heathen religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Satanism, Catholicism, Paganism, Animism etc. have carved idols and symbols. In most cases they would try to deny that they worship a demon, they think that the idol connects them to the original human or animal. However the Scripture and historical experience reveal that this is the case. Denial of this truth is in itself demonic. Incredibly the vast majority of people on earth today still insist on worshipping idols! If we do not worship the creator Jesus Christ we will worship anything or anyone. “Man
is made to adore and to obey : but if you will not
command him , if you give him nothing to worship , he will fashion his own divinities , and find a chieftain in his own passions .”
“For
Benjamin Disraeli G od , we do not worship anything .” G.K. Chesterton
when we cease to worship
nothing , we worship
The ancient leaders of Egypt and Rome promoted themselves as ‘gods’ and commanded worship of the ‘gods’. These Biblical cultures also had many gods that were connected to their invented calendars. Many of these have been passed down the generations and some have morphed or adapted to the modern age appearing more acceptable. The media and movie industries latch on to humanity’s innate desire for gods and make them come alive on the big screen! They then celebrate themselves and award themselves mini idols for their portrayals and deceptions! However as we have already seen there are
continued on page 14
Kobe Bryant poses in the press room with the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for “Dear Basketball,” during the 90th Annual Academy Awards on March 4, 2018, in Hollywood, California.
REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 11
awesome, he knew what was in a man’s heart or mind! The way he lived is an example of complete maturity as far as the Father is concerned. This is why Paul and the apostles taught that our aim in life is to imitate Christ in the power of his Spirit. When Pentecost came after the crucifixion and the Holy Spirit was sent to believers in power Jesus gave the ability to share in his divine life and to become like him in many of these mature ways. We should therefore be familiar with the ‘fruit’ of the Spirit, and also the ‘gifts’ of the Spirit that freely operate in someone who is mature, i.e. like Christ. This is not down to any skill of our own, but given by the Spirit who lives in us by his divine grace. None of us are likely to ever reach the full
perfection of Christ in this life which is why our witness will be as a corporate household of faith. In saying that, this is not an excuse to give up seeking the Lord to be changed in this life and to press forward to be the best we can be today, from glory to glory. Paul puts it beautifully when writing to the Philippians: “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being PAGE 10 REVIVAL TIMES
made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be mature, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” (Phil 3:8-15) Clear signs of maturity are repentance from sinful behaviour and the desire to help others in need, especially believers. Jesus and Paul call this ‘crucifying the flesh’ and ‘dying daily’ to
the desire to be selfish and the need to sin against your own body or against others. As we near maturity we should have overcome the evil one and be walking in purity, holiness, speaking the truth in love and free of wilful sins. This means that if we are in fellowship one with another in the Spirit our sins are covered by his blood, because he intercedes for us. We come under the ‘law of the Spirit of life’ or ‘law of Christ’ which frees us from all condemnation resulting from sin. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8:1-4) “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corin 7:1) “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.” (1 Thess 3:13) “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” (1 Thess 4:7) “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Heb 12:14) The purpose of all ministry within the body (assembly) should be to edify and equip the individual and the family in the foundational truth of Christ and the ability to hear the Holy Spirit for oneself. Anything that detracts from this process is either a heresy or a hindrance. These are the issues that the letters of the apostles seek to deal with as a service and the grace of God. This is the liberty of Christ in us, the hope of glory, and when effectively applied many come to maturity and pass on the good news to others. “Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thess 4:1-8) n
Calvin the “Christian” Murdering Blasphemer By Keith of christianrethink.co.uk (Used with permission)
C
alvin plays a key role in the history of the Churches and Christianity. Mostly he is lauded as a great sage, a virtual Protestant Saint, and, of course, the mastermind behind the Reformation. As so often with these matters, the truth is somewhat different. Calvin was born in 1509. This was over 80 years after the reformer John Wycliffe was burned at the stake; and Wycliffe’s burning did not take place until over 40 years after he himself died. The Catholics had to dig his body up to burn it. So the total time between Wycliffe’s Bible translating and other reforming activities, and the start of Calvins’, is the better part of two centuries. Calvin was very, very far from being in the forefront of the Reformation. Calvin was born in France to a strongly Catholic family, and was expected to become a Priest. He was very bright, and already working as a clerk to a Bishop at the age of twelve. He subsequently attended the prestigious College de Montaigu in Paris. This is the same college
where Ignatious Loyola saw fit to remain for seven years. Ignatious Loyola, of course, was the founder of the infamous, counter-reformation Jesuits. Ignatious and Calvin were not contemporaries at the college, but there is a strong indication here of the sort teaching that Calvin was immersed in. There is no clear narrative of Calvin’s conversion, something which is debated to this day. Yet by 1536, at the age of just 27, Calvin had published his key work, “Institutes of the Christian Religion”. Notice here that by this age he had not merely begun his research, not merely written the book, was not still searching for a publisher, but had already done all of these things, and the book was published. Even Jesus did not begin his Ministry until the age of thirty. How did Calvin have such a meteoric rise to respected Reformation Author, given his background, and given not only the lack of any clear account of his conversion, but the likelihood that he accredited his personal Christianity to his Catholic Baptism as a baby? Infant Baptism is very significant in Calvin’s story as we shall see in the next paragraph. Michael Servetus was a Spanish Doctor and polymath, and was the first European to accurately describe the flow of blood through the heart. He was also a radical Christian reformer. He did not accept the standard doctrine of the Trinity, was opposed to Calvin’s view of predestination, and like many radical reformers did not accept Infant Baptism. The term Anabaptist was used for those reformers who only accepted baptism given to adults following a conscious decision for Christ. Servetus was condemned to death by the Catholics. He escaped but fell into the hands of
Calvin in Geneva, where he was duly burned at the stake. His was not the only execution carried out in the Geneva Theocracy that Calvin led. Beheading, drowning and burning were all methods of execution used. The execution of Servetus stands out because of his fame at the time, his scientific accomplishments, and particularly for the justifications used for his execution such as the rejection of Infant Baptism. Jesus never used force or manipulation on anybody. He spoke the truth and those who would not accept it were left to go their own way. Even the valid-inits-time execution of a woman for adultery was quashed by Jesus. The idea that Calvin was a true disciple of Jesus Christ is untenable in view of his actions. The other reason to reject Calvin as a Christian is his preaching of predestination. Calvin’s version of predestination makes God into an unjust ogre, who punishes men for eternity on account of living a sinful life; a sinful life about which they had no choice, because God made them sinful. See more on this both here, Predestination 101, and here, Free Will and Predestination: No Contradiction. It is not possible to come to a compromise conclusion about Calvin. Perhaps he was one of the Greatest Christians who ever lived, as many believe. Alternatively he was a fraud, with the mission of destroying and sowing discord among the radical reformers. Just one part of his legacy today is that many reject God because they have accepted Calvin’s monstrous depiction of Him. We all have to decide whether Calvin was Great or Fake. Our decision on that point matters deeply. n Please visit Keith’s website with other articles. REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 15
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Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.” Jer 10:1-5: “Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.” Deut 12:29-32: “When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. Deut 16:21-22: Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy PAGE 16 REVIVAL TIMES
God hateth.” Asherah poles are a deal-breaker with God because it results in child sacrifice! Learn NOT the ways of the heathen, and DO NOT bring a detestable thing into your home! Rev. 2 calls such things the “depths of Satan”, or hidden tricks, and makes specific mention of “Jezebel” and her teachings. Read Psalm 80. When we use other Pagan symbols of fertility such as wreaths (symbols of a womb to Pagans), or Easter eggs, such behaviour offends our Maker. When we teach these things to little children, causing them to stumble, we are doing exactly
what our enemy wants. All popular customs represent institutionalised witchcraft, openly practiced without shame because of the ignorance that is in the people doing them. “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Eph. 4:18) Now you have received the truth of these things you must make a choice, either the Lord is God or your Pagan Traditions of Men. Without true repentance the blessing and anointing of God cannot come to your house, church or ministry. Why do you think Christianity in our nation has been declining over the past 100 years? It’s because the church has been polluted by paganism and humanism. There is no excuse for anyone claiming to be a Christian and to follow Christ and God, failure to repent of this paganism and all traditions not instituted by Christ and the apostles will result in Satanic curse and attack. This is why there is sickness, poverty, and all manner of social problems as people co-operate with these doctrines of devils. “He who has ears, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches”
Strange Fire before the Lord As Christians the Bible teaches that we are all priests before God and that we are to offer to him acceptable sacrifices. By participating in pagan rituals we are not offering acceptable sacrifices but rather we are trying to worship God with ‘strange fire’ and this always results in judgement even death! “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said unto Aaron,This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.” (Lev 10) n
such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.” (Heb 5:12) Both these passages show that the work of the teacher is to help bring young believers to a place of independent maturity, whereby they can stand on their own feet and resist Satan. Just as we feed our physical body, we must also feed our inner spirit man food and drink. The less we feed him, the less we grow, if we stop feeding on Him (The Word) we begin to starve and get weaker resistance to Satan, demons and the deceptions of men. Paul and the apostles want us to get onto the ‘meat’ of His truth, because this is for the mature who bear greater fruit for the Father. The writer of Hebrews continues and explains this principle: “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age (mature), even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Heb 5:13-
and so come under judgement! Evil becomes good and good evil in those who have no understanding. The book of Hebrews does contain a lot of spiritual ‘meat’ from chapter 6 onwards and many of the Scriptures cannot be understood by those who remain unsaved or ‘babes’ in their faith. Just think what Jesus said: “Then Jesus said unto them,Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.” (John 6:53-58)
14)
This is an essential revelation to learn from the apostle, ‘who by reason of use’ of the word, ‘have their (spiritual) senses exercised to discern both good and evil’. It’s by regular and constant feeding on the Word of God for oneself, and from sound teaching by qualified men (as defined by scripture), that we grow spiritual senses, so that we can eat the ‘meat’ of heaven itself (revelation of Christ). It’s interesting that in this teaching the writer implies that we should get to the point of being able to then teach others (fruit) and thus feed the next generation emerging. Notice that the purpose of this maturity is to ‘discern between good and evil’. This takes us back to the garden of Eden and the tree of the knowledge of ‘good and evil’. Without the foundation of Christ and His Word and His Spirit we will not be able to ‘discern’ or understand the difference between these two as already defined by God. As a consequence of spiritual blindness carnal people are driven by the desires of the flesh and prefer evil to good
Jesus was not speaking of his natural human flesh, but rather that he was the ‘living Word’ incarnate from heaven - what he calls ‘the true bread from heaven’ - the spiritual food of revelation. The good news is that every believer can certainly come to a place of maturity by dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to eating and drinking the Word (Flesh) and the Spirit (Blood) and especially if we are encouraged and helped by those more mature in wisdom and knowledge. Many old traditional religious organisations are not really well designed to bring their members to maturity and independence, but rather to keep people dependent on them for small portions of food each week. This can give a false sense of safety and protection, but not victory and effectiveness.
The apostles were always looking to bring disciples to maturity and then to send out evangelists and the ministries to spread the good news further. Not everyone gets sent out, that’s up to the Holy Spirit, but certainly the potential should be there for every member to be used at any stage as needed. The greatest will be the servant of all and not the one in charge over others, that’s a deception of pride. The church should be one of mutual respect, love and communal agreement in the Spirit of Truth. Paul and the other apostles were never ‘in charge’ of the others, but rather were honoured for their wisdom and knowledge of Christ. Sadly often times they were actually ejected from communities and towns because of the stance on retaining the truth.
The signs of maturity How can we tell if we are near, or have reached some level of maturity? Well it’s not like life in the natural. That maturity comes by the passage of time, the body naturally grows as is fed and watered daily. It’s interesting that mature thinking does not always come at the same speed as physical growth. How often adults have a delinquent or immature childish mind. Spiritual maturity can appear in a new creature at any stage of life depending on the level of the Word and Spirit in that person. Think of Jesus himself who was teaching the scribes in the temple at age 12! Maturity does have some obvious signs and this relates to the earlier texts in Hebrews which told us that the mature mind can ‘discern’ between ‘good’ and ‘evil’ and is someone ‘able to teach’ and is ‘skilful’. Paul himself said that he was a ‘master builder’ (1 Corin 3:10). Also as our opening text shows the mature Christian is able to overcome the temptations and lusts associated with the carnal flesh (Gal 5:24). As we know Jesus is the ‘chief cornerstone’ and incarnate, pure heavenly wisdom. Looking at his life reveals to us what maturity really means. As God in the flesh his discernment was
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A Message For Our Times PART 9 - By Stephen Turnham
“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Gal 5:24) The ninth part of 12 parts looking at how the church reaches out to the lost.
PART 9 - HOW DO WE REACH MATURITY IN CHRIST?
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he revealed purpose of the church is a twofold mission, just as Jesus had a twofold mission to defeat Satan for us and to save a body of disciples who would be like him. The true church of Jesus is never static, but always looking outwards and, just like Jesus, it sows the Word of life into the darkness of the world. As Jesus said to Andrew and Peter, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt 4:18-20). This maturing was clearly a process of change over time that they would need to go through in order to fulfil Christ’s will for them. These brothers, and the others that Jesus called, immediately recognised the call of the Messiah whom they had already been looking for, having previously been obedient to John the Baptist’s teaching of kingdom and repentance. Any, and all of us, who are born again by the Spirit and awake to our Father are as new born spiritual ‘babies’, our minds being immature in the knowledge of God and his ways. The church body was designed by Jesus to wonderfully care and nurture these new converts through teaching, healing and encouragement and apprenticeship or what the Bible calls ‘discipleship’. The disciples learnt practically about the Kingdom by going out with Jesus on his mission to every town and village in Israel. They saw the way he preached the Kingdom of Heaven and demonstrated the power of the PAGE 8 REVIVAL TIMES
Father’s love through healing and deliverance of God’s people. As prophesied 400 years before by Malachi, and then confirmed by John the Baptist (Mal 3:2; Luke 3:16) Jesus was like a ‘refiners fire’ or a ‘fullers soap’, cleansing the people of Satan’s grip and the oppression of false Judaic religion. Many other disciples (x70) were also sent out and given a foretaste of what the rest of their life would be like if they would serve Jesus as Lord - they thought they were invincible! Jesus then celebrates the fact that they are learning how to operate in the Kingdom way, but then he pulls them back to the greater truth that their names are written in heaven. Despite the disciples thinking they had made it big time Jesus still calls them spiritual babies!
Jesus was washing them with his Words from the Father by the Spirit. His words have the life of heaven, because they are Spirit and truth (John 6:63). This is ultimately what brings us to maturity and a greater awareness of what God’s will is for each one of us. The Spirit in us not only seeks to teach us the meaning of the Scriptures, but to receive directly from heaven itself. Plus he wants us to lay our requests to the Father of lights to target the work of his angels on behalf of the saints in the earth (Heb 1:14; Psa 91:11; 103:20; 104:4; Matt 4:11; 18:10).
“The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matt 10:24-25)
“And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.” (Luke 10:17-21)
Jesus was training his men to become like him, in action as well as character, whilst on the job himself doing his Fathers work - bringing life to the spiritually and even physically dead! As his holy body on earth today we are called to the same mission, as the Spirit guides and creates opportunity, but we must also be mature. Christ must be, as it were, formed in us otherwise we will deceive ourselves and others - babes do not go out to work immediately, but must be made ready through feeding and growth in wisdom and knowledge of God and his ways. We see this principle all over the Gospels and the letters of the apostles. “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you” (Gal 4:19) “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become
The Important work of Angels Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. John 1
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he Scriptures are full of instances where God sends angels to intervene, give messages or pronounce judgements in the earth and yet most people, even believers, are unaware of them today. When Jesus called Nathanael and the other early disciples they had no idea who Jesus really was. Their concept of the Messiah was as a conquering king who would set Israel free from the Romans. This was how they had been schooled by their teachers and parents for many years, it was one of the secret national hopes. However, as we know, this was not God’s will at all! Yes Jesus is the King of Israel, but not in the way that they wanted, but in the way the Father wanted. Almost immediately Jesus says something to them that puzzled them and maybe it puzzles you the reader? “ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man” What was Jesus talking about? What had this to do with the Messiah? No doubt they were confused for a bit and then just cracked on following Jesus. Perhaps they remembered that something similar sounding to this was mentioned by their ancestor Jacob way back in history, Jacob’s ladder. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. (Gen 28:12-17).
The connection between heaven and earth Jacob saw the workings of the invisible spiritual world that interacts with the earth. He saw how it is that the Lord of heaven sends his servants, the angels, into the earth to perform his will. We read throughout the Bible how angels came and went in the lives of the patriarchs guiding and intervening in history. We read how Israel is protected and judged by the angels and we read about the battle between the fallen angels and God’s loyal army. Jesus the Son’s entrance into the earth was announced by the whole host of heaven and to Mary and Joseph. By stealth God was entering into the kingdom of darkness with his secret weapon, God incarnate! And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:26-33). Six months prior to this event the angel had already been to Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth announcing John the Baptist. Jesus was to bring the Kingdom of Heaven into the earth for a time and the angels of God would pass through him (like a gate) into the earth to bring miracles. These miracles reveal the power of the heavenly Kingdom where God dwells, where there is no sin or evil, no pain or sickness absolutely no suffering only pure joy and peace. Continuously Jesus would tell them about his Kingdom and that it is not of this world. His power continued on page 20
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Climate Crisis or God’s Judgement? The final debate of history
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. Revelation 15:1
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he history of mankind has been a very bumpy road. Manuscripts of the past, including the Bible, have revealed how kingdoms have risen and fallen. The rise and subsequent collapse of kingdoms and empires happens for numerous reasons such as wars, demographic changes, ideology, disease, politics and disasters like earthquakes. The Bible teaches that no king or kingdom can exist or rule without it in some way fulfilling God’s purposes for mankind (Dan 4) and his plan. Bible history has revealed how Yahweh dealt with his people Israel in relation to the other nations around. This record is helpful in understanding what in the world in going on when things seem chaotic. The disasters that come upon the earth and the violence and death of man and beast have deep spiritual roots. Since the earth was formed and creation placed upon it there has been a continuous spiritual war between good and evil, between angels and demons over mankind who must choose to serve one or the other.
Why God sent judgements The justice of God can sometimes seem unfair, because we do not see the underlying forces or the PAGE 18 REVIVAL TIMES
bigger picture. God’s concern for mankind is to save us from sin and from the judgement that will finally come upon Satan. That day of judgement has been set by the Father - it is inevitable and inescapable. This day is spoken of by the prophets and especially Jesus himself. It means that, in terms of priority, nothing else matters except escaping the final destruction of Satan and his kingdom. All else is just a massive distraction from the ultimate truth - we will face God, specifically Christ - one day. If we are not found in him and he in us we will perish forever. This is the urgency that the Gospel
puts forth. The Good News is not about improving this life now, although it may do temporarily, but rather it’s about ensuring that as many as possible escape the coming wrath. Our opening scripture above from Revelation speaks of the 7 last plagues that come upon the earth and upon Satan’s dark global kingdom (the World). This means that there are a number of plagues (judgements) before that day will happen occurring throughout history, but why? Why not just have done with it and finish it off? Why is God taking so long to bring the last day? (2 Pet 3:3-8). The Scriptures do answer these questions, but it doesn’t make things any easier on those who will suffer and die.
‘Natural’ disasters? The world’s reporters of plagues and disasters try to explain the events as ‘natural’. They imply that the earth has always been like this. They associate ‘natural’ with ‘normal’. But is it? Was it? They also rob God of his glory by speaking of ‘mother earth’ which is never mentioned in the Bible. Earth is not our mother in any sense from a Biblical viewpoint. The Father created the earth through the Son by the power of the Spirit. This was a non-female event! That’s because the female was not made from dust, but continued on page 20
The Gold Jar shows us that God’s Word is received into our inner spirit from Jesus on a daily basis and it’s a great free treasure within us to be discovered, like finding a treasure buried in a field. However this bread never goes stale and last forever! We can define ‘revelation’ of the Word of Truth as; the mind understanding what Christ has given to us in our spirit. This is what Paul taught us and is often misunderstood. We are not trying to get the Word of God into us but rather to discover it in that jar and get it out! This is the role of the Holy Spirit who ‘reminds us’ of what Jesus has said. “We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may UNDERSTAND what GOD HAS FREELY GIVEN US.” 1 Corin 2:12 The scriptures now serve as a useful reference to reveal what we have been given (past tense) in our inner spirit man by God when we were ‘born of the spirit’, when we believed and asked Jesus Christ to come and be Lord in our hearts. When Jesus came in, He came in ‘completely’ not just a little. The WHOLE Word of God is in you now! An eternal supply of the bread of life! This manna does not go mouldy and smell, but you do need to get revelation for your mind from Him every day. Give us our daily bread! This is the great mystery of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. He is no longer outside and untouchable, but has come to dwell ‘inside’ us, we are now His tabernacle! God and His Word are not ‘out there’ but it has been placed ‘inside your spirit man’ (see Col 1:27, 2 Corin 4:6-7, 5:17, 13:5, John 4:14, 14:26, 17:26, 1 John 2:27, 4:13, 5:12+20, Eph 3:20 )
The manna in the jar can therefore be said to represent The Truth, The Word. The Gold Jar which contains the truth, the bread of life, is a part of the recreated inner spirit man. A mysterious Holy container the gold symbolic of the spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal what is in that jar! If we do not have the Spirit of Truth then we can
never understand God (John 3:27, 1 Corin 2:14). The Christian life can therefore be understood more as a discovery of the good things he has freely given us in His Son, rather than a struggle to try and ‘be like Jesus’ or to ‘get the Word into us’ so that we will be able to keep His Laws. Jesus said that His yoke is easy, why? Because all that we would ever need HAS BEEN GIVEN absolutely and fully to us by the Word and the Spirit. And just like the Manna, it is free of charge, we just have to ‘collect it’ daily by FAITH!! We just need to know how to find it and let it dwell in us richly! Incredible! Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth ..(John 14:6)
3. Aarons Rod that budded (Numbers 17:1-13, Ezek 7:10) Aarons Rod is a fascinating item within the Ark and reveals three truths to us about this final but most essential part of the renewed spirit man. Aarons Rod came into existence after a dispute arose among the leaders of the tribes of Israel in the desert wilderness over the way God had told Moses to set apart the Levites, and particularly Aaron and his family, to serve Him in the Tabernacle. To the other leaders God’s choice and their exclusion seemed unfair (Num 16:1-2). Their complaining eventually brought a severe judgement from the Lord and many died (16:31) Still apparently unconvinced they needed further proof and to settle the matter God told Moses to place 12 staffs (symbolising each tribe) before the Ark of the Lord and the one that budded would be the chosen tribe before the Lord. This would be a form of resurrection from the dead and conclusive proof of God’s will. The next day, not only did Aarons Rod bud, but it
blossomed and bore Almonds too! This concluded the matter and established Aarons family authority to serve before the Lord as a priesthood, but he was still under Moses guidance, himself a Levite (17:10). The staff or rod therefore represents the sign of priestly authority as decreed by God. This rod is a direct reference to new life and symbolises resurrection, speaking in our context as that part of our rebel spirit man which is reborn before God, by grace. We can stand boldly before the Father through Christ our High Priest as His children by the power of His resurrection! Aaron was vindicated or justified before God and man by the rod that came to life. Similarly we too, who have come to new life in Christ, are justified by our relationship to Christ and his work on the cross of wood! We are pre-judged and totally accepted by God through Him as servants with priestly authority. Jesus rose again to life and it is the authority gained by this victory over death which he bestows upon us also who believe (Eph 2:10, 2 Corin 5:21). The Levites were given privileged access to the Holy Places of God’s Presence in the Tabernacle. As believers we too gain access to the Presence and Power of the Father from heaven itself as priests of Christ. Our inner spirit is redesigned to willingly submit to Christ’s authority. He must be Lord of our life if we are to begin to grow in His kind of power. First the bud, then the blossom and finally the fruit in abundance. Just as Aaron was chosen, Jesus was chosen and we are chosen to be as priests before him. To bear fruit we must learn to use this authority and our position against the rebellion of Satan and his evil hordes. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. John 14:6 * Some people are also born with inherited demons especially when from a non-christian, idol based religion or occult family.
In
the next edition we will examine
the revelation of the
SOUL. n
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The Stones The first Tablet, inscribed on both sides, has commands regarding our attitude and actions towards God and parents. The second Tablet has commands regarding our attitude and action towards our neighbour and brothers. Jesus summed up these two when he said: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt 22v37-40) These specific commands that Jesus refers to are not actually written on the stone tablets! They were written in the Book of the Covenant (Exod 24:7). God gave Moses many interrelated Laws with which to govern and for the people to follow, a whole fully structured society entirely different to what they experienced in Egypt. The main TEN commands were etched into the stone tablets to be placed in the Ark of the Covenant (thus symbolising the whole Law), the others were all written down by Moses on parchment scrolls, hence today we have the Pentateuch or Torah (first 5 books of the Bible assembled by Moses and scholars). The scriptures Jesus quotes in Matthew 22 are taken from Deut 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. As the first 5 commands cover our attitude to God and the other 5 our attitude to our neighbour, Jesus words do link with the ten commands in the Spirit of grace. Why write these commands on stone? Why didn’t God write the main ten commands on wood or even on a gold plate? He could have done anything he wanted, but he chose stone. The stone tablets, as we are seeing, represent a part of the ‘inner spirit man’ and could be said to symbolise or shadow what we would call our ‘conscience’ or our fundamental instinct for what is right and wrong. God chose stone because it reflected the kind of spirit that Israel had in them and which was PAGE 6 REVIVAL TIMES
revealed, time and again, as they rebelled against God’s commands (Ezek 11:19). They were both hard hearted and double minded, hence we see TWO tablets and written on STONE. In modern language we would say, ‘like talking to a brick wall’! However, we must also say that the Law is perfect and good and it reveals to us the truth, for Israel these Laws were hard rules to be obeyed, usually against their own real desires. The Law was designed for, and ONLY given to, the nation of Israel (to prevent them being destroyed), it produced ‘guilt’ revealing ‘uncleaness’ and often resulted in ‘punishment’ or ‘judgement’ of one sort or another. These ranged from social exclusion to capital punishment and death! These were all forms of discipline based on the covenant they had agreed to as a nation at Sinai. The Tabernacle system was God’s instrument of grace for the Israelites (symbolic of Jesus) to enable them to clean themselves or redeem themselves back into God’s favour. The sacrifice of the lamb, goat or bull etc. would cleanse them outwardly, so that they avoided judgement, but not from their inner sense of guilt. As the writer to the Hebrews points out in 9:6-10 they were not able to cleanse their conscience. In contrast the work of Jesus DOES cleanse the conscience (Heb 10:22) giving genuine peace with God and enabling the person to live by the liberty of the Spirit in a new life of service to God and man. When we are water baptised we are also making a commitment to God to retain this state of a clear conscience (1 Pet 3:13-22) as this pleases God. Jesus said, “I am the Way (John 14:6)
2. Manna in the Gold Jar (Exod 16:32, John 4:32) For forty years the disobedient Israelites wandered through the desert and God supplied them with free manna which was collected each day as flakes, it was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. This was provided by the Lord
supernaturally and without it they would have starved to death. Each person was to gather only as much as they needed for the day, about 2 litres per person. This was called an ‘Omer’ and was the quantity that Aaron put into a gold jar for the generations to come. This means that the jar must have been a reasonable size to hold 2 litres. Moses told them not to keep any of it for the next day. Of course some of them paid no attention and they found that it rotted became full of maggots and began to smell. The manna they did not collect was burnt away each day by the heat of the sun. Only on the sixth day did they collect twice as much (4 litres) so that they could keep the Sabbath on the seventh day. They did not grow or buy this manna, it was free each day.
from flesh, in order to replicate the flesh through birth. Sufficient to say that ‘normal’ from God’s point of view does not match how we have mostly assumed or been taught by uniformed parents and teachers. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55: 6-11)
The manna is a foreshadowing of the reality of the true bread from heaven, as Jesus clearly states; ‘Jesus said to them,”I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (John 6:32-33) The Israelites were supplied physically to symbolise what would one day become the spiritual reality, the living Word of God (Jesus) who gives eternal life to men. Jesus said, in the same chapter, that his words are ‘spirit and life’ (6:63). Just as the Israelites needed to collect their manna or bread daily we too need to feed on the Word of Jesus revealed by revelation to our mind from the heart. As we discover the Word that He has placed in us we grow in knowledge of God, we eat with Him and He with us (Rev 3:16).
The creation itself has been disrupted since the fatal error of Adam and Eve to trust in Satan’s words instead of God’s (Romans 8:20 ). The Genesis story explains that mankind’s relationship to the creation changed by God’s will in hope that long-term we would turn back to him. This was to counter the darkness of Satan and his hordes of fallen angels pride, greed, lust, envy etc. which lead to death, both physically and more importantly spiritually! God had placed Adam into a perfect earth full of wonderful creations, it was a place of over abundance and blessing. No plagues, no storms, no disasters, no earthquakes of any kind - no sin or death - normal! God said that it was good. This condition of the planet continued for a time, but sin and death had entered the earth via Satan and man, God had withdrawn his presence and wisdom from mankind, because they had submitted to Satan, who became the ‘god’ of this world. He immediately started to redesign it! Only those men who somehow still looked for
God had a good experience (e.g. Enoch, Noah). Up to the time of Noah things deteriorated rapidly and we read that man obeyed Satan completely! (Genesis 6:5-9). A new world system developed that was both wicked and global. The pyramids and anti-deluvian civilisations of the earth testify to the scale of what man, led by Satan, had done. In order to save mankind the Father decided to cleanse the earth of this situation, but this would mean a huge and radical change to the planet that would be 100% irreversible. It changed the land, sea and atmosphere so radically that it would have to find a new lower state. It also meant that if man returned to serving Satan earth would ultimately pass away. He knew we would so it was a countdown to a final judgment a restart of God’s perfect plan. But what is long term plan?
The Plan of God - Salvation You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6) Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.’” First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10). As Paul makes clear Christ came ‘at just the right time’ in the post flood history to plant his plan of salvation for all those who would believe. The Son (creator) came to announce God’s plan to destroy this world and make a NEW HEAVEN & EARTH, but also to reveal the Father’s desire to save as many people as possible into
his family, restoring mankind back to himself - that’s the plan! And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev 21) So why is it all taking so long? Think of it this way - you would not exist if Christ had returned before! The Father is allowing mankind to go the whole way in his own strength. He is allowing them to build the towers that he once forbid, he is allowing us to manipulate the creation for our own selfish desires and to cure ourselves without him. He is permitting these to occur so that in the end it might fail and open the eyes of the blind to see that He is the only God! We must see that our sin and rejection of him as the Lord Creator ends in death. Sadly many billions are rejecting Christ and this is why it’s taking so long, because the Father wants multitudes in heaven to glorify him, to make things perfect for him and us. We have been told this quite clearly through John’s prophecy: After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. (Rev 7:9-10). Mankind, including many in the church global, are simply unaware of God’s plans or deny them. This creation’s demise and the evil world systems within this earth are NOT his will. Satan is still the ‘god of this world’ and controls the thoughts and actions of unbelievers. God allows this situation because he has sent his Word Jesus to rescue those who believe, those who will be with him for eternity. Will this be you? Are you clinging to this world?
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over sickness and his miracles over nature even death were evidence that he was indeed the door of heaven. He came to destroy the works of the devil and he used his angels to do this, because he is the commander of the host of heaven (Rev 19:11-16). Wherever you look in the Scriptures you’ll find the angels sent by God to bring change in the way God wants, to achieve his purposes. All the great Prophets and Apostles had encounters with these servants who are sent to help those who inherit salvation. For unto which of the angels said he at any time,Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith,Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And,Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Heb 1) We must not underestimate the influence and effects of these messengers of God. They are still active today on behalf of those who seek Christ and His Kingdom. There are many hundreds of testimonies of how the angels have helped believers escape dangers and deliver miracles to the needy. Whatever they bring will always exult Christ as Lord and King and never lead anyone to take the glory. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) We are also warned that Satan can try to appear as and angel of light to deceive, so it is important we both know the Word of God and the purpose of Angels in achieving God’s will in the earth. As we serve Christ he will send help as required, we can pray for this support, but we accept that all answers will be in accordance with his plans and not ours. n
Is this the end of the world? The world does seem to be reaching a crescendo of both achievement and corruption almost like a great harvest ripening ready to be harvested! This is exactly how Jesus said it would be and then when he returns he would send his angels to reap! Are you ready for that harvest are you wheat or weeds? He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13)
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the dust of the ground (body) and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (spirit), and the man became a living being (soul).” Gen 2:7. Before meeting Christ everyone born into earth is physically alive, but are dead souls because of inherited sin (rebellion) with spirits opposed to God as his creator.*
is a shadow or reflection of the greater reality that Jesus brought to us, the renewed inner spirit man. He was the ‘son of man’ the perfect man and fully God! Jesus as Messiah was the total fulfilment and perfection of the ‘human tabernacle’ in which God dwelt in his fullness (Col 2:9).
1. THE INNER SPIRIT
Jesus was not an earthly High Priest in the temple of Israel (he did not accept it as permanent), but by his sacrifice, and subsequent victory over death, he qualified to be the spiritual High Priest with the ability to enter the Most Holy Place of man himself, the inner heart or spirit of each one that believes. Only Jesus can do this because he has atoned for the sin that hindered God from entering INTO man. As our High Priest He continues to do this without end (Heb 7:23-25). Thus Paul tells us that ‘Christ dwells in our heart by faith’ (Eph 3:17) meaning that the Spirit of God is freely able to enter the inner parts or rooms of our inner man, so that we are one with Him (1 Corin 6v17 ). This is the miracle of Grace achieved by Jesus and is the true meaning and purpose of his High Priesthood. He has reconnected us with the Father in heaven. We can therefore fellowship with God in spirit and truth. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24
Inside your inner spirit -
A New Heart of Mercy
1.The Law - on Tablets of Stone (Exod 24:12)
The spirit of man (The Most Holy Place) At the feast of Tabernacles Jesus declared: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7 v37-38.
The Lord makes it clear that His life will flow from within us. Just as the glory and life of God was seen inside the Most Holy Place over the Mercy Seat of the golden Ark of the Covenant. So too, by this same mercy, we can experience His Life in our own inner spirit. In the last but one verse of Revelation Jesus again tells us; “Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Rev 22v17 Once we have received the promised FREE gift of the Holy Spirit into us we are made alive (Rom 8:10), we have a never ending supply of this ‘water of life’ to give eternal life to our inner spirit, empowering the rest of our being. Crucially this life flows from within, not over us. This is an important principle to remember as it affects our whole understanding of how the blessing of God comes to a disciple of Christ. Moses and Aaron had to go through many external sacrifices and ceremonial washings to purify themselves, so that they could go into the holy inner rooms. In there they heard God speak and witnessed His presence. Here they received instruction and made intercession for the whole nation of God’s people. The power was within. We now begin to see how the inner place of the Tabernacle
OUR HIGH PRIEST
In the completed Most Holy Place there was only one item of furniture (made of two parts) and the only ‘seat’ that existed in the whole Tabernacle, the Ark of The Covenant or Ark of Testimony (Exod 25:21) covered by the pure gold Mercy Seat. This is Gods THRONE OF GRACE with mercy to remove our sin. God told Moses that this was where He would demonstrate His presence. Obviously this was a very private event when it happened each year for the one mediating High Priest. However
it was necessary for the benefit and cleansing of the whole nation of Israel. As our (spiritual) High Priest Jesus continually intercedes for us and so we are continually cleansed from the consequences of sin (judgement) as we continue in Christ and in fellowship with one another (Heb 7:23-25, 1 John 1:7). how you are made
The Most Holy Place was 10 cubits in every dimension and this cube shaped chamber has untold secrets to reveal to us (For example the New Jerusalem (heavenly church) is also symbolised by a cube (Rev 21:16). This inner room is very significant to every one of us because it changed the whole destiny of the world. Within the Ark box Moses placed three items, The Tablets of Stone, the Gold Jar of Manna and Aarons Rod that budded (Heb 9:1-5). These 3 special items symbolise the nature and needs of the spirit of man and we will look at these in turn.
We are all familiar with the fact that on the two tablets God himself wrote the summation of the whole Law, the 10 commandments, 5 on each tablet (back and front). This Paul calls the ‘written code’ the requirements of a Holy God. These book size tablets were created by God twice! The first time Moses broke them in response to the rebellion of the Israelites who lost faith and made for themselves a golden calf (Exod 32:19) an Egyptian idol god. REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 5
Israel and the Two Covenants - Moses to Jesus To whom did God make the covenants? Due to Christianity being normalised in the western world since around the 4th century it was forgotten that the Biblical covenants were made to both individuals, and the subsequent nation. That nation was Israel (the 12 tribes) in the Middle East region, later named Palestine by the conquering Romans (AD134). The covenant of law (agreement) was forged by God through Moses at Mount Sinai after being refugees for 400 years. This gave 10 specific Laws which expanded out into 603 others that shaped Israeli culture. No other nation in the region or the world had this privilege. Favour came upon the Hebrew people when they obeyed these good laws and they lived in the land promised to Abraham. But tragedy befell them when they disobeyed and went after foreign gods! The
‘curse of the law’ came upon the nation many times leading to expulsion. Other nations were often used by God to discipline and execute his punishment (to turn them back). However those nations were judged according to how they treated Israel, but they had NO covenant with God themselves. (Jer 25:9; 27:8; 50:18)
Why another covenant? The Lord knew that Israel would struggle and fail with the Sinai agreement, so he also promised that one day a NEW agreement would be introduced by grace to make it easier, permanent and global. However he would only do this with a small remnant of the nation whose ancestors had remained faithful to him, as revealed by Malachi. Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those
who feared the Lord and honoured his name. “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. (Malachi 3:16-18, & Jer 50:20) The last, and greatest prophet appeared after a 400 year gap! John Zechariah Levi, led by the Spirit, began to preach the message of the Kingdom. He taught repentance from sinful behaviour and faith towards God. He introduced Jesus as the ‘Lamb of God’ who would establish the promise and remove sin from the chosen remnant and the world. By the cross (curse) Jesus gave his own blood as a guarantee to all who believe that he would raise them up on the last day. First for the Jew and then for the Gentiles who believe.
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Do you think that this OLD creation can be repaired? It’s time to know God’s plan and join to Him through obedience to his will which leads to life eternal. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels, but my Father only. (Matt 24:35-36)
The corruption of the earth is now reaching new heights and beginning to resemble that evil time in the days of Noah. 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. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 6). The population of the earth had multiplied, evil had multiplied there was only 1 man that God considered righteous! That’s not exactly the case today, but we have a population explosion, we have global rejection of Christ and even of Jews! We see the Church in apostasy an the world permitting and encouraging sinful beliefs and actions. Idol worship of ‘other gods’ has never been so widespread as in our day! (Matt 24:37)
The sign of the end - Israel! Most Christians will recognise that the return to the land of promise by Jews, even if a bit messy, is a fulfilment of prophecy. As Paul says, we must accept that the Jews are different. A peculiar (special) nation that was formed and purchased by God out of history to shed light on the truth and to fulfil his promises to Abraham (Romans 9:17). This ‘holy’ nation was dispersed and has been restored in part. I believe that this is leading to Jews turning to Christ like never before as they uncover the truth of Isaiah 53. This is a grace from the Lord and is symbolically indicated in the vision of Revelation. Something happens in our creation at the same time
that this change occurs. 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, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an
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hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (Rev 7:2-4)
One of the marked changes in the global environment since 1948 is the destruction of two key resources that are essential for life on earth, you guessed it Trees and the Sea! Air and water. Just check the news and you will see that those angels started to hurt the earth, the trees and the
An OVERVIEW of the construction sequence reveals some interesting truths and helps us focus on priorities. 1. SHADOW: The Cherubim linen curtain and 3 others covering; 1 goat hair 1 red badger skins and another tough waterproof skin. REALITY: The Cherubim (angel) curtain represents the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ where God dwells and the goat hair curtain over this ‘sanctification’ or ‘separation’ from evil and the red skins ‘justification’ through sacrifice. The last tough dark layer represents ‘salvation’! These skins also speak of God’s intention to live within our own body, i.e. under our skin! 2. SHADOW: The craftsmen were instructed to build the inner wood frame then the inner veils (curtains) – in preparation to support the tabernacle curtain (as above). This then formed the 2 inner rooms. REALITY: The inner heart of man is designed to be under God’s authority and protection. It is of first priority, a weak heart will mean a weak life. 3. SHADOW: The first room to be fitted out is The Most Holy Place with the holy Ark of the Covenant containing the 10 commandments, Manna and Aarons rod. REALITY: This tells us that first must come the Spirit, Jesus said that ‘unless a man is born of the Spirit’ that he would not even see the Kingdom of God, let alone enter it! (John 3:5) Our human spirit must first be reborn by God’s Spirit (our sin atoned for by Jesus) in our own most holy place (that is our inner spirit person, the true self). 4. SHADOW: Secondly, the Tent of Meeting or The Holy Place is fitted with special holy furniture, the incense Altar, Lampstand and Table of Bread. REALITY: This part represents the human soul. The will, mind and emotions, our individuality. The purpose of our faith is for the restoration of our soul before death. The altar of our heart must be to worship God. Our mind
must be lighted with revelation. Our emotions must be renewed and disciplined. 5. SHADOW: Thirdly, after the Holy Place comes the largest area to be completed the Outer Court with the Laver and the Altar of sacrifice. REALITY: We can understand this as symbolising the physical body (the flesh and the 5 senses) The Tabernacle structure and tent is contained within this protective area so that the HOLY and the UNCLEAN do not touch.
The cleansing of the Tabernacle The Tabernacle structures were made with materials originally from Egypt (Exod 12:35) and as such they were considered ‘unclean’ or ‘defiled’ (Gentile). No doubt they were formerly offered to Egyptian god’s. Before any part of the Tabernacle could be used for their true purpose Moses was instructed to purify them by anointing them with the sacred anointing oil and blood. This symbolically made them Holy (sanctified) before God (Exod 40:9-10). In a similar way the unsaved soul is every bit as ‘unclean’ before God and therefore unable to experience the true purpose as a vessel of God’s glory. When Moses had anointed and purified the Tabernacle the glory of the Lord came into the Tabernacle (Exod 40:34). What an
experience that must have been! The physical manifestation of God Almighty! In a similar way when an unbelieving man or woman chooses to believe the work of Jesus sacrifice, that is repent and invite Jesus Christ (high priest) by faith into his ‘empty’ heart, then just like Moses, Jesus by His Spirit, enters and establishes the new Covenant (Ark) by cleansing the vessel. Secondly Jesus by the Holy Spirit supernaturally dwells in the body and soul. Paul and others reveal to us that the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body (1 Corin 6:13). God’s desire is that He dwells within us. No-man can ‘see’ God and live. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, however the promise of the resurrection to a new body is the Christian hope (Rev 21:3 / Eph 1:13-14). Our redemption of the body will complete the building of the body of Christ to perfection. Before that great and glorious day believers must now live as His temple (corporate) and as a tabernacle (individual). We are designed from the beginning for him to dwell in our spirit, soul and body. With this in mind we will consider the threefold structure of the Tabernacle alongside the threefold structure of man. “The Lord God formed the man from
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OMEGA-MINISTRIES.ORG
ISSUE: 01
Revival – God’s Way Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
Revival times is a FREE publication offered to those who want to be encouraged and built up to know JESUS CHRIST as their Lord God and saviour. It is published by Omega Ministries which is a non-denominational prophetic movement of believers who want to see the Kingdom come on earth as in heaven. Please send all enquiries or questions to the email address given below. We recognise all material copyrights and thank God that all contributors take no wages for their work of faith in order to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world and to revive his true church in our day. All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Bible and or Greek and Hebrew, where appropriate, for clarity. This paper and other teaching material is offered online for downloading and printing free of charge. If you are inspired by the content of this paper please pass on to brothers and sisters for their encouragement. Revival is a long lost concept in our modern society because the true Gospel has been perverted, watered down and twisted for personal gain by wolves in sheep’s clothing. Enough is enough and now the sleepers must awake from their spiritual stupor. The dead dry bones must live and the faithful army of the Lord arise and shine the beauty of Christ in us, the hope of glory.
The Call Has Gone Out Soldiers of Christ, arise And put your armour on, Strong in the strength which God supplies Through His eternal Son; Strong in Lord of hosts And in His mighty power: Who in the strength of Jesus trusts Is more than conqueror They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, They will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
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Where is the hope for Revival— God’s Holy Spirit outpoured Convicting of sin, and of judgement And righteousness of the Lord? When nothing else is important— Only God’s presence Divine, When Christians quit worldly pleasures, Then God, His ear will incline. Desperate prayer for Revival Will cleanse the Church by the Word. Then clothed in spotless, white linen, The Bride clears the way for her Lord. Prayer is the key to Revival, Prayer that is true Spirit-born, Nights of compassionate weeping— Intercession for all the forlorn. Then will the burdens be lifted, Then all the sinners will cry, Then all the chains will be loosened And worldly passions will die. The lost ones will yield to God’s Spirit When Christians, cleansed, weep and pray; God’s Living Water flows outward; This is “Revival—God’s Way”! —Estelle Gifford Jackson FIRST THOUGHTS Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.”
G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy
sea! It reveals where we are in the timeline of the end. Yes this has been the result of mankind’s abuse of resources, our greed for more and more. And yes God has not tried to stop us from constructing, inventing and polluting.
They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. (Prov 1:30-32) Sin has a consequence, what you sow you will reap, the ins of the fathers are visited on the children. These are spiritual laws that operate like gravity and cannot be changed. God put them in place so that his truth and glory would never be compromised. Man’s efforts to better himself are doomed to failure all the time he is under Satan’s dominion. Everyone in the Word has been deceived to think that we can get out of this problem ourselves, we can use technology or rebellion against authorities to change things. The thing is that the WORD has been sent and cannot be changed, the end will come soon, the devils will be judged an the earth renewed through fire! There will be nothing left! You will either be saved from this wrath or perish depending on your allegiance. The times of the nations are fulfilled and the final countdown has begun. As a believer your mission is to spread the word that God is coming to destroy Satan and the kingdom of darkness and they need to escape NOW through CHRIST. This is in accordance with Paul’s early preaching to the Greeks of Athens 2000 years ago!
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him
from the dead. (Acts 17:29-31)
THE LAST WORD
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.. 1 Corinthians 1:19-25 REVIVAL TIMES PAGE 23
Useful Resources
OMEGA-MINISTRIES.ORG
In this section are a number of websites which can help inspire you to seek the Lord in effective praying and in getting out there doing as well. As always, JESUS CHRIST is our greatest example and the one to whom we must compare ourselves and obey. The greatest resource is the Bible itself, so please spend your main study time in the Word of God, preferably the least corrupted King James Version!
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15 Websites: www.omega-ministries.org www.biblegateway.com www.biblehub.com www.spurgeongems.org www.heartcrymissionary.com www.propheticvision.org.uk www.thelastreformation.com www.insurgence.org/ www.propheticalert.net www.biblearchaeology.org www.creation.com www.christianrethink.co.uk
Free material to download, booklets and tracts. Online Bible versions for comparison Online Bible versions and Greek / Hebrew Lexicon and Interlinear Powerful messages from one of the great preachers of the 19th Century Equipping and mobilizing indigenous churches and missionaries David Hathaway evangelistic website - recommended! Join the network of believers who want to see power evangelism Frank Viola’s latest book details Insights into current affairs and how to avoid deception A useful site for the latest in Biblical related finds The best resource for creation material and news The articles posted here are an attempt to put the record straight
If you have been blessed by anything in this magazine please be as generous as you can to any of these Christian ministries supporting the poor and needy: www.bhct.org.uk The Beachy Head Chaplaincy - on mission to prevent suicides www.matthew25mission.org Helping feed the wandering and homeless in Eastbourne UK www.opendoorsuk.org Supporting outreach globally and supporting Christians in persecution www.teenchallenge.org.uk Helping people escape the problems of drugs and addiction www.capuk.org Christians Against Poverty, bringing the good news to the poor in UK hopenow.org.uk Working with Orphans in the Ukraine kingdomwaytrust.org Ministry to aid the homeless and hurting in society
This no-compromise, biblical clarion call to revival is timeless. He clearly shows how the church can be brought from where it is to where it ought to be. The church still needs his message, first published in 1983. “We live in a generation which has never known revival— God’s way!”
Available from: Bethany House
Much of what we see expressed in the church today is built on more than just the New Testament. It’s built, instead, mostly on the Old Testament, Church culture, and Paganism. It is therefore imperative that we as God’s people dare to stop and take a closer look at the church today compared to the first church seen in Acts.
Available from: TheLastReformation.com
ISSUE: 10
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 3:19
JESUS CHRIST THE TRUE MISHKAN “And the Word was made flesh, and tabernacled among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” J ohn 1:14
T
he Hebrew Mishkan, although called the ‘Tabernacle of Moses’, in fact was not Moses’ Tabernacle but ‘The Tabernacle of His Presence’ and a significant tent structure designed by God himself, not Moses. Moses was the one willing to obey God in its construction for the benefit of the disobedient people of Israel. Consider for a moment how great Moses was. Not only did he meet with God on the mountain but he was willing to fully obey the Spirit in constructing a tent which had never before been made. Like Noah building the Ark it was an incredible act of faith. It was not written down for him to follow, but came from God himself. No wonder God the Father greatly esteems him as the meekest man on earth! Without him Israel would not exist! In investigating the Tabernacle we soon realise that it is for our benefit today and the purpose
of this study is to discover those eternal benefits. This is not the milk for an infant in Christ, but the meat of the word, for those who know how to feed on His revelation…
SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY Understanding how God has designed us as his ‘dwelling place’ (human tabernacle) could not be more important or more thrilling! Looking more closely at the structure and objects of the Tabernacle pattern will reveal the reality found in Christ. That is, the reality of God in man, of God dwelling in the tent of our body (1 Corin 15:46-49, 2 Corin 5:1-5). The Christian hope is that just as Jesus was raised to new life and his body transformed, we too will be changed because of his supernatural life within (1 Corin 15:51 ). Just as the earthly Tabernacle eventually wore out and was destroyed, so too our natural physical body will go back to dust, unless He returns before (John 6:40). However, our spirit and soul do not corrode and go back to dust but live
on into eternity, eventually to dwell within our new body (1 Corin 15:42). This has important implications for how we live in the here and now. Once Moses had received the instruction and pattern to build the Tabernacle, the Lord also told him what materials to use. These materials were to be given by the Israelites as a free will offering from the goods they had carried with them out of Egypt. Gold, Silver, Jewels, Bronze, fine cloth etc.(Exod 25:1-7). When enough materials had been given by the people, Moses had to stop the offering (Exod 36:6).
Wise Construction The men God chose to oversee the construction of the Tabernacle were Bezalel from the tribe of Judah and Ohliab from the tribe of Dan. They were given supernatural skill by God in the crafts required and the ability to teach others (Exod 35:30-35). God told Moses: Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you (Exod 25v9). continued on page 3
INSIDE A Message for our times Part 9 • The 2 Covenants • Christ or Christmas • Climate Crisis or Judgement • & more...