Category: God’s Laws/Teachings


The Martyrdom of Ralph

Filed Under: God's Laws/Teachings, Restoration by admin — Comments Off on The Martyrdom of Ralph
July 3, 2010

          Our post is an addition to Notes on Leprosy and the Second Coming.  It is dedicated to our brother, Ralph, who was delivered into the presence of the Father, holy and blameless, with mighty shouts of everlasting joy on Father’s Day, June 20, 2010.  Praise you, Lord!

           According to all that I grant you to see, the pattern of the Dwelling and the pattern of all its implements, thus are you to make it.  Exodus 25:9

          While Moses was on the mountain, YHWH/Jesus showed him activities in the heavenlies which were to serve as patterns for the same activities upon earth.  The verse in Exodus 25:9 in particular relates to the construction of the tabernacle, but we do not believe it is unreasonable to conclude that the teachings and instructions of the various temple activities, including the sacrifices, were patterned upon God’s activities in the heavenlies and even in the earth.  Thus, each sacrifice is a foreshadow, an image, an incomplete picture of the reality of God’s doings.  It is important to understand that the ritual on earth was always intended to be an emulation of what God has done and is doing in the heavens and in the earth.  Unfortunately, none of the Hebrews except One, consistently said what He heard His Father saying, and consistently did what He saw His Father doing.  That Hebrew’s name, of course, is Jesus.

          Accordingly, when a leper was healed, the ritual sacrifice involving the two doves not only represented the circumstances of the person individually involved, it also bore witness of something comparable that God is doing as a witness in the earth.  And so we come to the martyrdom of Ralph.

          Those who knew Ralph must decide for themselves what happened to him; this decision will be made according to the individual’s particular belief in the sovereignty of God.  From a human standpoint, Ralph was 56 years of age, had been under a controlled weight loss program under a doctor’s supervision, and was feeling great.  He and a friend were cycling in a Texas coastal resort town, when the friend heard Ralph say “Passing out!” and looked around to see him go over the handlebars of his bicycle.  Although he was wearing a cycling helmet, he somehow sustained a bloody head injury in the fall.  The friend found no pulse when he got to Ralph seconds later and was unable to revive him using CPR.

          We do not believe Ralph’s passing was an accident, nor do we believe it was a matter of his choice.  Many have said, “He would not have chosen this for his family” and they are correct.  Either it was a “bad hap”, or God is the One responsible.  God accepts full responsibility at all times.

          We believe the Lord’s words when He said, “(E)veryone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”  John 11:26  And we believe Paul’s words, that when one is absent from the body, he is at home with the Lord.  2 Corinthians 5:8.  Not even a sparrow falls from the tree apart from the watchful eyes of Father, and Ralph was worth far more than many sparrows!  Therefore, we believe Ralph had concluded his race and crossed the finish line without disqualification, receiving an incorruptible crown of life.  Simply stated, Ralph was called.  The meaning of the Hebrew name for the book of Leviticus, quoted below, is taken from its first few words:  Now He called.  Ralph was carried instantaneously from this realm into realms of everlasting light.  This much we believe by the word of the Lord, but while in prayer, we asked, “Lord, what is up with the head wound?”  Father replied simply, “See the two doves!”

YHWH spoke to Moses, saying:  This is to be the Instruction for the one-with-zara’at (translated “leprosy”), on the day of his being-purified:  he is to be brought to the priest.  The priest is to go outside the camp; when the priest looks, and here: the affliction of zara’at (leprosy) has healed on the one-with-zara’at (leprosy), the priest is to command that they take for the one-to-be-purified two birds, live, pure, and wood of cedar and scarlet of the worm and hyssop.  Then the priest is to command that they slay the one bird in an earthen vessel, (held) above living water, and the live bird–he is to take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet of the worm and the hyssop, and is to dip them and the live bird in the blood of the slain bird, (held) above living water.  Then he is to sprinkle (it) over the one-to-be-purified of zara’at seven times, declaring-him-pure, and is to send-out the live bird into the open field.  Leviticus 14:1-7 Schocken Bible
          The Greek word for “witness” in the New Testament is marturia (Strong’s Concordance G3141) from which we derive our English word for “martyr”.  It is the same word used in Revelation 20:4–And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony (marturia) of Jesus and because of the word of God…  When one gives one’s life, voluntarily or involuntarily, as a witness for something, one can be called a martyr.  One does not take the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God.  Hebrews 5:4  The use of such a word is not to be taken or given lightly and it should always arrest our attention.  Such is the case in the matter at hand.
 
          Once the roles of the participants are identified, the pattern becomes clear and the witness is established.  First, the priest goes outside the camp and looks, and observes that the leprous man is healed.  The priest in this pattern is our high priest forever, Christ Jesus (Hebrews 7-8) and he has gone outside the heavenly camp to observe that the formerly leprous man is no longer leprous.  The two doves in the case at hand are Ralph and our sister, his wife.  The first dove “in an earthen vessel” is realized by a man who contains the treasure of living water in his heart, as Paul says.  2 Corinthians 4:7  The slaying of the first dove was by an injury to the head, since this is the only way to get blood in sufficient quantity in which to dip the remaining dove.  Leviticus 1:15  Thus, to fulfill the type, it was necessary that Ralph injure his head as he fell, no small feat considering he was wearing a helmet designed to prevent that very thing.
 
          His blood is symbolic of his life, because the “life of the flesh is in the blood.”  Leviticus 17:11  Our sister was certainly thoroughly immersed in Ralph’s life.  The live bird, too, is held above the living water, illustrating that our two doves contain the same treasure of salvation.  Our live dove is sent out into the open field, meaning the world.  For in the parable of the sower, we have learned from the Savior that “the field is the world.”  Matthew 13:38  Our live dove carries the testimony that the formerly leprous man has been healed.  Notice that he is declared to be pure.  This is a legal declaration that the man in question is no longer obligated under the law to comply with all the rules and regulations attendant with leprosy–but the main point is:  he is now welcomed back into the camp, whereas before he was excluded and was thus an outcast.  Leviticus 14:8  
 
          Our last participant remains to be identified.  Who is this “man” whose leprosy has been healed, and is now declared pure and welcome to return to the heavenly camp?  Recall that the “leprosy” is symbolic of a very curable condition:  not a skin condition, but in reality a sin condition. This symbolizes the wonderful good news that mankind is now conciliated to God, and the doors of heaven are open–that which separated man from God, which caused him to be an outcast from the fellowship of the redeemed, which excluded him from partaking of the divine life, has been removed by the blood of Jesus.
 
          Because this is a legal matter, we may be certain that one or more individuals in Ralph’s life and realm of influence will be adjudicated pure.  However, we have no revelation as to who it may be.  Furthermore, on a larger level, the “man” can be representative of mankind in general, whose trespasses are no longer being counted against them because of the death that Christ died for all.  2 Corinthian 5:19  In this respect, Ralph has joined in a great cloud of witnesses (martus,  Strong’s Concordance G3144) who continue to bear witness that exactly as in Adam all die, in just the exact same manner in Christ all will be made alive.  1 Corinthians 15:22 
 
          Way to go, brother!
 
          Blessed are You, O Lord, our wonderful God, for You have done all things according to the pattern shown on the mountain.  Your ways are just and true and You have given to faithful men the privilege of bearing witness of your beautiful ways. 
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Notes on God’s Four Feasts

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June 26, 2010

           The books of Moses set forth the torah (teachings or instructions) on God’s first three feasts. Christ Jesus reserved to Himself the privilege of teaching about the fourth feast. It is the summing up and consummation, the suntelia, of the other three feasts.

          YHWH/Jesus through Moses gave specific instructions that all the people would gather at the place “where I choose to place my name” three times each year for the indefinite future (olam–translated “forever”). (In those days, He had not yet chosen Jerusalem as the location for the observances.)  Those occasions corresponded to the barley and wheat harvests, and the grape harvest.  They signify God’s plan for all of mankind, individually and corporately.

          The first feast is Passover, called in Hebrew “Pesach” and corresponds with the barley harvest. Spiritually it signifies justification, or more simply put being born anew, or born again. You may accurately equate this with infancy in humans. The pattern for this feast was set down in Egypt.

          Somewhat later in the spring, occurring 50 days later is Pentecost, called in Hebrew “Shavuot” or Feast of Weeks. The second feast corresponds with the wheat harvest and spiritually signifies sanctification, or more simply put, learning to hear and distinguish the voice of God the father, Christ Jesus the son, and the Lord Holy Spirit, (for all indeed are speaking), and most importantly learning to obey the voice one hears.

          The pattern for this second feast was set down at Mount Sinai, when everyone heard YHWH/Jesus speak in their own language, and convey to them His instructions called the Ten Commandments. This equates to the time of childhood and teenage years in humans.

          Have you ever noticed how everyone wants a savior, but no one really wants a lord? But in every life the time comes to leave infancy behind, and begin to learn the rules.    Thus Samuel explained to Saul, to obey (Pentecost) is better than sacrifice (Passover).  1 Samuel 15:22

          The third feast was celebrated after the end of spring, through the long summer, and into the early fall at the end of the growing season and corresponds to the grape harvest. It is called Tabernacles, or in Hebrew “Sukkot”, and spiritually signifies glorification, or simply stated, receiving new, incorruptible bodies for believers who have achieved mature sonship.

          It equates to the time when a young adult no longer obeys because of the threat of punishment or even correction, but responds in love and agreement. Every parent looks forward to this maturity in their children, and God the father is no exception. At this point a father can trust a son to speak and act for him, because the son knows the father’s mind.

          Have you ever noticed how everyone wants to be an overcomer, but no one wants to be given adverse circumstances to have to overcome? As soon as difficulties come, the prayers of the saints begin to bombard God for alleviation, as though God was napping and unaware of the struggle of his much loved child.

          The Holy Spirit wants us to learn that real maturity comes in agreeing with God about these hard times, thanking him, rather than questioning, Why? Why? Why?      And so the Holy Spirit signifies that to obey is better than sacrifice, but to agree is better than to obey. 

          The tabernacles period of life is also the time when the father decides it is time for his mature son or daughter to be married!

          Thus we come to the fourth feast, the wedding feast, also referred to as the Lord’s Supper, or Communion. It should first be observed that the Lord Jesus wants barley and wheat bread, and wine for His supper table.

          Each of the feasts, including Communion, is a foreshadow, an illustration, an incomplete preview of a reality that is soon to be experienced. We know this because Paul specifically said so in Colossians 2:17.  Observance of Communion is symbolic on several levels.  Let us consider that symbolism.

The Lord Jesus, in the night in which He was given up, took bread; and when he had given thanks, He broke it and said, “ This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.  “In the same way, He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.  1 Corinthians 11: 23-26

 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom.  Matthew 26:29

           During most Communion services, the emphasis, the songs, the spoken word, and all the attention is usually given to the Lord’s death (Passover) and it is not wrong to do so.  But did you notice that the proclamation of His death will not continue forever?  Did you observe the word “until”? Do you not see that the Apostle is pointing to another time, a coming time?

             … proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

          The coming time is the time of fulfillment of the illustration, the reality. It is the wedding supper of the Lamb of God. The Lord Jesus has told us to “remember” Him– yes, remember Him at Passover, but remember Him also at the wedding feast.

            … until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom.

          On “that day”, the day He comes to drink the fruit of the vine with us, we will no longer be proclaiming His death, but instead, we will be proclaiming the arrival of He and His Father’s Kingdom.  In other words, there is an aspect of Jesus’ coming again that makes proclaiming His death, not unimportant, but less important.  And it has to do with drinking “it new with you in My Father’s Kingdom.”

          The Greek word for “new” in Matthew 26:29 is kainos (Strong’s Concordance G2537).  A second Greek word that is also translated “new” is neos (Strong’s Concordance G3501), but the Lord did not use that word.  Although there is some disagreement among scholars whether kainos can mean “fresh, newly-made”, which is the undisputed meaning of neos, there is no disagreement that kainos also means “qualitatively better”—new and improved, as we might say.  (In other words, kainos can be used either way, but neos cannot.)

          Accordingly, we interpret the Lord’s words as:  I will not drink this fruit (grapes) of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it in a new and improved way with you in My Father’s Kingdom.  He does not simply say it will be wine fresh and newly-made (neos), but rather it will be fresh and newly-made and new and improved and qualitatively better (kainos). 

          For this wedding feast, the fulfillment of the foreshadow which we call the Lord’s Supper, or Communion, the Lord intends to have many guests.  Those guests will be recently harvested “grapes” whose worship will be new and improved because of the arrival of the Kingdom of God and of his Christ.  Although the Lord’s Passover will always be important, the wedding feast and the arrival of the Kingdom (not to mention all the wedding guests) will be more important.  What a day of rejoicing that will be!

          Blessed are you, O Lord.  Our wonderful God, you are the king of forever, and you have set the seasons according to your own pleasing, and with wisdom.  How wise and beautiful you are.

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Notes on the House of God

Filed Under: Double Witness, God's Laws/Teachings, Restoration by admin — Comments Off on Notes on the House of God
April 25, 2010

And-he-will-be  in-last-of  the-days  he-will-be  mountain-of  temple-of YHWH  being-established  as-chief-of  the-mountains  and-he-will-be-raised  he  above-hills and-they-will-stream   to-him  peoples.  And-they-will-come  nations, many-ones,  and-they-will-say  “Come!  and-let-us-go to mountain-of YHWH and-to  house-of God-of  Jacob.  And-he-will-teach-us  of-ways-of-him  so-we-may-walk  in-paths-of-him.  Micah 4:1-2  Kohlenberger Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English Old Testament

And-he-will-be  in-last-of  the-days  being-established  he-will-be mountain-of  temple-of  YHWW  as-chief-of  the-mountains  and-he-will-be-raised  above-hills  and-they-will-stream  to-him  all-of  the nations.  And-they-will-come,  peoples,  many,  and-they-will-say,  “Come!  and-let-us-go-up  to  mountains-of  YHWH,  to house-of  God-of  Jacob.  And-he-will-teach-us  of-ways-of-him so-we-may-walk  in-paths-of-him.  Isaiah 2:2 Kohlenberger Interlinear NIV Hebrew-English Old Testament

          We have used the Hebrew interlinear above, which gives a word for word translation; the hyphenated English words are a single Hebrew word.  It shows two very important things about these two passages.  First, while similar in large degree, Micah’s prophecy is definitely different from Isaiah’s.  Micah, writing about twenty years after Isaiah, is quoting YHWH, not Isaiah.  (Micah 3:5)  He is in fact establishing the subject matter of the prophecy as a second witness to Isaiah, according to the law of the double witness.  (Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:16)

          The second important thing: The subject of these prophecies is clearly NOT an “it”.  Rather, the subject is a “he”, and the “he” is none other than YHWH-Jesus.  The Hebrew word translated “and-he-will-be” is repeated twice by both writers for emphasis in the opening words of each passage.  The passages are emphatically personal throughout.

He will be being established, he will be…..

He will be raised up, he……

They will stream to him, all of the nations…..

They will come to him, many nations……

He will teach us his ways……

So we may walk in the paths of him……

          It is the emphatic repetition by which the Holy Spirit signifies that the subject is a masculine person, as opposed to a masculine, but inanimate, noun like “house.”

          The phrase, “the last of the days”, in Hebrew is “acharet hayamim.”  It has special prophetic significance, and is believed by many Jews to refer to the rule of Messiah.  We believe they are correct.  (See for example, Hosea 3:5, where the sons of Israel will come trembling to YHWH and to His goodness.)

          When will these “latter days” occur?  Many claim to know, and have said so.  However, we are content to wait until the time that is appointed has actually arrived.  From the texts we can see that the process of “being established” will be on-going. 

          “Established” is the Hebrew word “kun” (Strong’s Conc. #H3559). The breadth of its many applications illustrates its utility in meaning a process.  It can mean a) to be set up, fixed in a permanent sense, b) to be directed rightly, c) to prepare and to be prepared, and d) to be arranged and to be ready.

          We believe the first sense is intended, because the text complements this meaning by also saying “he is being raised up”, not just in a resurrection sense.  Rather, He will be given authority over the kings (mountains) of the earth, as well as other rulers (hills), probably referring to elected officials.  This of course could happen overnight, but we believe a longer period of time will be involved as the stone kingdom grows into a mountain.  (Daniel2:35, 44)

          The symbolism used in Daniel is the same as the texts here.  The symbol “mountain” is to be taken for the King inseparably united with His kingdom.  Daniel says the kingdom will fill the whole earth and will endure forever (Hebrew, “olam”, meaning an indefinite period).

          The passage in Daniel creates a large problem (no pun intended) for those who insist that Isaiah and Micah are talking about Jerusalem as it is located today and a “house of God” meaning a Third Temple.  No one has seriously contended the physical city, much less a physical building within that city, will expand to fill the whole earth.  If Daniel, Isaiah, and Micah are all talking about the same occurrence and even use the same symbolism, who decided Daniel was figurative but Isaiah and Micah were literal, or vice versa?

          If this is a physical house, having a physical location, then there is another problem lurking beneath the translation.  It is the small prepositon “to”.  As used in the above texts, it is only a single Hebrew word that can be used in different ways.  Does it mean “in the general direction of”?  Or does it mean “into”, denoting motion from the exterior towards the interior?  Clearly, the nations and the streaming people have a destination in mind.

          In the Greek language, the preposition “into” is the word “eis“.  It is used as a mathematical and geometric term.  Think about a straight line, one end of which dead-ends into the center of a circle, and you have the idea.  “Eis” means motion along the straight line into the interior of the circle as a destination.  (See The Companion Bible, Appendix 104, Bullinger, for an excellent discussion of prepositions used in scripture.)   In the Septuagint, an ancient Greek translation by Hebrew scholars of the Old Testament, the word “eis” is used to translate the “to” used in each of our texts.  The result was translated this way:

Come! Let us go up INTO the mountain of YHWH, (and) INTO the house of God….

          Here is the point the Holy Spirit wants us to get:  YHWH-Jesus IS the mountain AND the house of God!  He is the desire of all nations–all will want to be IN Him.  All will want Him to teach them His ways.  All will want, from the bottom of their hearts, to walk as He Himself walks.  To know Him is to love Him.

          He has promised to write His laws, teachings, precepts, commandments, and instructions on the hearts of all men, from the greatest of them to the least.  Jeremiah said so; the writer to the Hebrews established it according to the law of the double witness.

“BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD,
         WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT
         WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; 
   
    10FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
         AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
         I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,
         AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS.
         AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,
         AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
    11AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN,
         AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’
         FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME,
         FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. Hebrews 8:8,10-11 New American Standard Bible

          When all men see that He is what they have desired all along, they will want to walk in His ways, as John said in his epistle.

6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.  1 John 2:6

          The house of God is not now, and will not be, a church, a mosque, or a temple, or any other structure built by the hand of man, any more than the “house of Israel” is.  It will not be “located” here, or there, or in the wilderness–if you  hear of such, do not go.  Where the carcass is, there will the buzzards be gathered.  Meaning, if you are looking for a new and living way, an incorruptible way, it has been inaugurated through the veil of His flesh, which is never to die or become corruptible again.  Buzzards aren’t really interested in living things.  Look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.

Blessed are you, O Lord.  Our wonderful God, you are the mountain that will fill the whole earth!

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