Category: The Harvests


The Silver is Mine and the Gold is Mine

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November 4, 2011

 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. Haggai 2:8 ESV

          Judging from many modern ministries, the sales of their books, DVD’s, and other merchandise, and the lavish lifestyles of the televangelists who run them, one might reasonably conclude from the above verse that God is quite the capitalist, notwithstanding that Jesus had only one set of clothes and no place to lay his head.  But in fact the above reference is not to precious metals, but to precious people, who are metaphorically called “gold” and “silver”.  The same is true in biblical references to “bronze” and even “iron”.  In this post, we will look at the unfolding revelation that the treatment of precious metals in the Bible is prophetic of mankind in general.

          We believe that gold corresponds to the barley harvest and symbolizes the believers in Jesus who are overcomers as referenced (for one short example) in the seven letters to the churches in Revelation, and who will rule with Christ for 1,000 years after the first resurrection; the silver corresponds to the wheat harvest and symbolizes those who are believers in Jesus, but who do not take part in the first resurrection but instead await the second resurrection; and the bronze corresponds to the grape harvest and symbolizes all of humanity that become believers in Jesus after the second resurrection.  Much more could be said about these two resurrections, but they are beyond the scope of this post.  We recommend the teaching of Dr. Stephen Jones as a model of clarity on the subject.

          Abraham was promised to be the father of “many nations“.  As a result it is easily predictable that he would be rich in both gold and silver.  When the children of Israel came out of Egypt, it was in YHWH’s mind not just to take the Israelites out of Egypt but also the gold and silver of the Egyptians.  This is the prophetic pattern that shows us that Father intends for all men to be saved from sin (symbolized by the slavery of Egypt), not just a chosen people or denomination–His plan is that all men belong to Him.  Furthermore, His plan was to put the gold and silver in His tabernacle/temple, to show that His house would be a house of prayer for ALL people. 

          One day the time came to take the Promised Land.  Again, a prophetic pattern was being set and Father gave the instruction that all gold and silver and other loot captured in Jericho would be “under the ban“.  Other translations have translated it “devoted to the LORD for destruction” or in the King James Version of the Bible, “accursed“.  The actual Hebrew word used is “cherem“, a word apparently having much confusion surrounding it–unless one understands the prophetic picture.  Note from the preceding link that the literal meaning is “a net”, while Genesius’ lexicon refers to the secondary figurative meaning as being devoted to “utter destruction”.

          Here is why the meaning matters:  a man by the name of Achan secretly violated the ban and took some of the silver and gold from Jericho and buried it beneath his tent.  It is no coincidence that many people today believe the “gold” and “silver” people that God says are set apart and devoted to Him belong buried in the ground because the gold and silver people do not subscribe to a particular denomination, church, or belief-set.  This is the functional equivalent of consigning people to the grave (or Gehenna, or Tartarus, or wherever you may think “hell” is) when Father says they belong to HIM!  This has aptly been called “The Achan Doctrine.”  Can you see why the definition of “devoted to destruction” is incorrect for cherem, and so is “accursed” for that matter–Father intends to “net” all people for Himself.  And not for destruction, but for life (zoe)!  The idea that some people belong in “hell”, Father has called “a disgraceful thing.”  

          We want to take one small aside to note that Jericho, like Ninevah, are prophetic-pictures (types) of the world apart from Christ, that is, at war and at enmity with God–completely unaware that the war is over, and that Christ has won it for all mankind.  Had the Israelites gone into the Promised Land in the power of the Holy Spirit, no one in Jericho would have had to die!  If you don’t believe us, ask Ninevah!

          King David understood the true meaning of cherem and dedicated all gold and silver he captured to YHWH/Jesus.  The references are too many to cite here, but note that the Bible records his faithful delivery of it to Solomon for the building of YHWH’s temple:  100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver.  Although there is some dispute about the meaning of “talent”, it is generally agreed that the totals equal 3,750 TONS of gold and 37,500 TONS of silver.  Moreover, bronze and iron and precious stones are included in amounts without measuring!  Are you getting the picture?

          As massive as were the amounts King David collected through conquest, the amounts were overshadowed in comparison by the amounts collected by King Solomon in peace, offered freely by the kings of the neighboring countries, including the famous Queen of Sheba. 

          When Israel in general, and Judah in particular, began to believe that each of them was the chosen race, set apart by God to rule the rest of humanity (rather than serve humanity as Christ Jesus stated), Father began to arrange for the gold and silver to be removed from Israel, and then finally from Jerusalem, by conquest of neighboring countries.  The prophetic pattern is set and easily ascertainable, once you know what to look for.  First, there was Ben Hadad, king of Aram (Syria); then came Egypt; finally, what remained was carried off to Babylon when Jerusalem was sacked by Nebuchadnezzar.  The prophet Joel made it clear to other nations that the gold and silver represented people:

Since you have taken My silver and My gold, brought My precious treasures to your temples, and sold the sons of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks in order to remove them far from their territory,  behold, I am going to arouse them from the place where you have sold them, and return your recompense on your head.  Joel 3:5-7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

          To make this point emphatically, Father revealed to Daniel that the rulership of the world (including Judah) had been given to a succession of kingdoms by men, all of which together formed one body, but the parts of which were made of different metals.  First was the head of gold, representing Babylon.  Next came the arms and chest of silver, representing the Medo-Persians.  Then, the belly of bronze, which was of course, Alexander the Great of Greece.  And lastly the legs of iron, representing the Roman Empire.  Each of these kingdoms of men has a stipulated period to have sway, and then finally the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ shall arise and remain forever.  During this time, Father says He will change men from whatever they were to something entirely new.  If any man is in Christ, he truly is a new creation.

Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.  Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver, and instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron.  Isaiah 60:16-17 NASB

          In the last book of the Old Testament, God promises that He will be a purifier and refiner of the sons of Levi in particular, but most scholars believe that it applies to all men, because the gospel is given to all men.  We mention it here, because it shows Father’s plans to purify and refine LIKE gold or silver–see for yourself:

Behold, I am going to send My messenger (a reference to John the Baptist), and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the LORD of hosts.  “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.  He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness.   Malachi 3:1-3 NASB

          Dear reader, we urge you NOT to take whatever “talents” are given to you by our Master and bury them.  You may succeed for awhile in “burying” them, but a day will come when they will be taken away from you and given to someone who will multiply them!  Do you not see that there is no loss in the Kingdom of God–only waste!  If you have ears, please hear.

Blessed are You, O Lord our God!  How many ways You have showed us that all of mankind belongs to You by right of creation and by right of redemption.  Blessed are You for You gave all You had to purchase the field (world) and all it contains!  We will sing Your praises forever!

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The Coming Exodus

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June 4, 2011

However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.  1 Corinthians 15:46 New American Standard Bible

          Long, long ago, Father led our people out of the bondage and slavery of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  We were young–we didn’t even know how to walk.  But Father lovingly bent down and fed us and also taught us how to walk.  Oh, how He loved us–a people with no name and with no homeland to call our own.  He  called us out, and we were set free…our young and our old, our sons and our daughters, our flocks and our herds, our cattle and our sheep, our camels and our donkeys…all set free to experience something we had not known all of our lives:  freedom. 

          We had no use for gold, silver and precious stones, for we were in the mud pits, making bricks one-at-a-time.  But Father had in mind the building of His temple, so He arranged for us to come out with the wealth of Egypt.  It had been given to our people by the people of Egypt, and when Pharoah realized what they had done, he hardened his heart; that is, Father caused  Pharoah to harden his heart, so that Father’s Name might be proclaimed in all the earth.  You see, dear reader, for Pharoah it was about the money.  It’s always about the money.  

          As a testimony to the mercy and compassion of Father, all who were of the Egyptians (or elsewhere) were welcome to come, and still today, whosoever will may come.  So as to prove His power, Father cornered our people at Pi-hahiroth.  There was no way out, from a human perspective and from Pharoah’s perspective.  But then, as He always does, He made a way where there is no way–He parted the sea and the people crossed over on dry land.  Pharoah, all his horses and all his riders, Father cast into the sea!  The people were saved.

          Unfortunately, the people had no heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.  Some thought the gold, the silver, the precious stones and all the wealth of Egypt was for them to possess and enjoy, and so it quickly became an idol in their eyes in the shape of a golden calf.  But before then, it had become an idol in their hearts!  Finally, when the disciplining was for the moment completed, the people were ready to use it to construct the temple. 

          That temple was always intended by Father to be a place for all men of every tongue, every tribe, every nation, and every people to worship the living God.  That is why YHWH spoke at Mount Sinai so that each man could hear Him in their own language.  It is also why He provoked Moses to intercede for the rebellious ones; that is, so He could announce that all the earth (not just Israel) would be filled with His glory. 

          That is the story of the natural temple.  First the natural, then the spiritual.

          The judgment has been rendered, and the jubilee declared.  (The fact that you, dear reader, did not know of it and have not heard of it, does not mean that it happened in a corner.  It has been divinely supervised and directed, and witnessed among men.  All that remains is its out-working in the world.)  Father is again setting our people, and ultimately the whole world, free from the bondage and slavery of Mystery Babylon.  He is calling Israel out–our young and our old, our sons and our daughters, our flocks and our herds, our cattle and our sheep, our camels and our donkeys.  And once again, He has arranged for us to come out with the wealth of Babylon, that is, the Iraqi dinar.

          Just as in old days, we have really not had any use for gold, silver and precious stones, because once again, we have been in the pits making bricks, one-at-a-time.  But this time, Father has it in His mind to build a spiritual temple.  He intends for this wealth to be used to build a spiritual house, this time using living stones, instead of dead bricks.  And no more of this one-at-a-time stuff.  And like before, it will be for all men, everywhere, of every corner of the earth!

          In other words, the wealth thus gained is to be used to free others from Mystery Babylon, which controls the current financial system and which has subjugated and enslaved nearly everyone (and perhaps everyone without exception).   It must not be used to create idols of the heart and idols for the eyes.  All who belong to Him will ultimately use the wealth to purchase the freedom of living stones.  It is time for the grape harvest–pray that the Lord of the harvest will send workers into the harvest.

          We have remembered and spoken of the first exodus for just about 4,000 years.  This coming deliverance will be remembered and sung about for tens of thousands of years! This is the real significance of the revaluation of the Iraqi dinar:  our people will never be in bondage again!  Not our young nor our old, not our sons nor our daughters,  not our “flocks” nor our “herds”.  When Mystery Babylon falls, the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ will arise.  It will be the stone kingdom that smashes all the other kingdoms to dust, and then grows into a “mountain” that will fill the entire earth!  When He comes to take up His throne, we will experience something we have never known before–freedom, not just spiritual freedom, but bodily freedom, as well.   And if Messiah sets you free, you will be free indeed.  We will walk in His footsteps and He will teach us His ways.

          Here is something else we have not known or understood: the economy of the Kingdom of God.   Others have made this suggestion:  Pray and ask Father what the Kingdom economy looks like.  We agree with this suggestion.   

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          Postscript:  We wish to point out that we believe that “Pharoah” will again pursue the slaves when the realization hits that the wealth of Babylon is now in the hands of those slaves for whom it was not intended.  Father will again arrange no way out from a human perspective.  We respectfully advise:  pay the taxes and bless your government, resist the urge to “shelter” the money by any of a variety of tax avoidance devices such as corporations sole, offshore trusts and bank accounts, and other such ideas.  There is only safety in Him.  Consider this prayerfully.

Blessed are You, O Lord our deliverer!  The horse and its rider You have cast into the sea.  Praise you, Lord!  Father, show us what the Kingdom economy is supposed to look like and show us how use the wealth of Babylon to build Your temple, in Jesus name.    

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When Yeast is Perfect But Faith is Not

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April 22, 2011

Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?  Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.  Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  1 Corinthians 5:6-8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

          Today, we call “leaven” yeast.  Such a small amount of yeast, and yet does it not perfectly spread throughout the whole lump when it is active?  Anyone who has made bread or cinnamon rolls knows that a necessary ingredient is active yeast, and without it your cinnamon rolls are just not as good.  However, in the Bible leaven/yeast is definitely not a good thing as Paul the apostle, the author of the above verse, makes clear.

          Our post is about the following situation:  God raises up a ministry and blesses it with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Everyone, but those serving in ministry more than all others, knows that the blessing is from the Lord and not from the effort of man.  In the early stages, His presence is so powerful, lives are changed, and many miraculous things occur daily.  Literally, there are days of heaven on earth.  Then slowly, almost imperceptibly, things begin to change.  Personalities and egos begin to be seen and heard, where before such a thing was non-existent.  Soon, discord and division follow, and unity is only a memory.  Finally, either the whole thing collapses or it limps along in a form not even recognizable to those who were present at the start.  Those who serve in ministry are left shell-shocked, sick at heart, and wondering how they failed.  Surely they failed, somehow falling short in faith, otherwise God would have let the blessing continue forever, right? 

          Here is what happened:  the yeast worked perfectly, but the faith did not.  Before you go on the war-path to get rid of all the yeast (in others), you should understand first of all that it is in you also, dear reader.  If that is not bad enough, try this:  God put it in your “lump” on purpose, just the same way you put it in your cinnamon rolls!  Why?   After it is cooked, it simply tastes better to Him.  Once again, we apologize if we are offending your doctrines, but Father accepts full responsibility for what He does in, and to, His church.  Sometimes He likes His bread un-leavened, and sometimes He likes it with leaven.  Right now, dear reader, we happen to be living in an age when Father wants His bread to be leavened.  Lack of faith has precious little to do with it.

          This probably sounds strange to anyone who is not familiar with the feasts of the Lord.  The first feast is Passover, followed immediately by the feast of Un-leavened Bread (the day after the first sabbath following Passover–the day commonly called Easter).  The Israelites, and later the Jews, would actually scour their houses in an attempt to make certain THERE WAS NO LEAVEN ANYWHERE that would violate the command of YHWH/Jesus:

You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread, nor is the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover to be left over until morning.  Exodus 34:25 NASB   

          The feast of Unleavened Bread occurred at the time of the barley harvest, and the Israelites were forbidden to eat these “first fruits” until the priest had waved (“heaved”, in the King James version of the Bible) them before YHWH.  The priest did not wave the bundle of barley from side to side; no, but from down, to up, then down again.  At the precise moment the high priest waved the barley up, Christ ascended to the Father–He is risen, just as He said!!

          Just 50 days later, the second of the feasts occurred–Pentecost, called shavuot in Hebrew.  This feast coincided with the harvest of wheat.  How is it that just weeks after scouring their homes to make certain there was no leaven, even in their houses, that YHWH/Jesus commanded the priests to offer the Pentecost wheat first-fruits offering with leaven?  See for yourself:

You shall bring in from your dwelling places two loaves of bread for a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of a fine [wheat]  flour, baked with leaven as first fruits to the LORD [YHWH].  Leviticus 23:17 NASB    

          The short answer is YHWH/Jesus wanted leavened bread.  But why?  It is a prophecy of the plan of God for the period of time in which we live, even as the Passover feast was also a prophecy for a period of time in history (His story).  We highly recommend the teaching of Dr. Stephen Jones on the ages of mankind and the ages of the Church.   See Chapter One of Dr. Jones’s book, The Seven Churches, here:  http://www.gods-kingdom-ministries.org/COLDFUSION/booklet.cfm?PID=17.  In short, since 33 A.D. God planned for ministry to Him to be offered with leaven, and whether you like it or not, would have planned it differently or not, or believe you can have enough faith to avoid the effects of the leaven, dear reader, it’s going to be offered with leaven–at least for now. 

          Do not despair!  There are more feasts/ages to come!    Next to come:  the grape harvest!  And those feasts have NO LEAVEN–and neither will His ministry,when Isaiah 61 is fulfilled:

1The Spirit of the Lord GOD [YHWH] is upon me, because the LORD [YHWH] has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted;  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners;
    2To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD [YHWH] and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn,
    3To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting so they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD [YHWH], that He may be glorified.
    4Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
    5Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
    6But you will be called the priests of the LORD [YHWH]; you will be spoken of as ministers of our God–you will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast.
    7Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion–therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs.
    8For I, the LORD [YHWH], love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; and I will faithfully give them their recompense and make an everlasting covenant with them.
    9Then their offspring will be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples.  All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom the LORD [YHWH] has blessed. Isaiah 61:1-9 NASB

          In those days, faith will be perfected, and the leaven won’t work!  Take heart, faithful servant, and remember that your labor is not in vain–He who holds tomorrow is faithful.

My precious bride, the day is nearing
When I’ll take you in My arms and hold you
I know there are so many things that you’ve been hearing
But you just hold on to what I have told you

For when I hear the praises start
My bride, I want to rain upon you
Blessings that will fill your heart
I see no stain upon you
Because you are My child, and you know Me
To me you’re only holy
Nothing that you’ve done will remain
Only what you do for me
–Keith Green, When I Hear The Praises Start

Blessed are You, O Lord, our wonderful God.  With wisdom You have planned the ages, and with great lovingkindness/chesed You will draw all men to Yourself in mercy and compassion.  Be pleased with, and enjoy, Your bread, leavened and unleavened.  All men will praise You for the greatness of Your plan.
   

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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 John’s Prophecy of Jesus’ Harvest

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April 15, 2010

And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire…, He will baptize you in the holy spirit and fire.  And His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.  Matthew 3:10-12

          John the Baptist, sometimes called John the Immerser, spoke the above words in reference to the coming Messiah–Jesus.  He was referring to a process probably well known to his hearers.  That is, God’s law pertaining to the use of trees in warfare whereby fruit-bearing trees were not hewn down for purposes of war (burning), but non-fruit trees were.  This law is set down in Deuteronomy 20:19-20:

19When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege: 20Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat (food), thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.  King James Version

          Note Moses’ comment–“for the tree of the field is man’s life”,  meaning either a man produces the fruit of the spirit, or he does not.  The process of cutting down the trees that do not produce fruit is ongoing, John says, and has been.  “The axe is already laid at the root.”  His point:  Messiah has come to make all men into fruit trees, bearing fruit twelve months a year, even as He does.

2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  Revelation 22:2

          Not comprehending the latter part of John’s comments, John’s hearers definitely caught the part about being cut down and thrown into the fire.  So they asked:  What must we do (to be saved)?  And he would say:  Bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance.  Lose the notion that you are a “chosen” race.  Luke 3:7-14

          But what about the rest of what John prophesied?  He clearly shows Messiah Jesus will winnow first, for such a fork is only used for barley, which in season comes first.  In the winnowing process, the barley is tossed up into the air.  The wind blows away the chaff, and the grain (now minus the outer shell) falls back to the earth.  The barley chaff is not burned.

          Next in season, and in the order of John’s remarks comes the wheat.  Wheat is not winnowed–it is threshed upon the threshing floor with a threshing rod.  Wheat must be beaten to separate the wheat from the chaff, then the wheat chaff is burned. 

          What is with all this fire?  We were taught all our lives that it referred to hell.  Sorry, but the fire in each case is the same, and it is not punishment.  Rather, it is a cleansing and purifying fire.  Applied first to non-fruit trees, and also, to wheat chaff.  Think, purification by removal what is undesirable to Messiah and you are getting the idea.  The fire of God is for our good.  That is why it comes with the Holy Spirit.  There is no anger in John’s words unless you presume it is there; there is no condemnation; and there is no fear.  Only the certain promise from Messiah Jesus:  I will thoroughly clear, missing nothing, and will gather to myself all of the wheat.  I promise to remove the chaff in your life.

          Well, if it’s not hell, is it judgment?  And isn’t judgment bad?  Miles Monroe has famously said, “If you do not understand the purpose of a thing, abuse of that thing is inevitable”.  Therefore, the purpose of judgment must be understood so that the Judge and His judgment will not be abused.  So what is the purpose of judgment?

When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.  Isaiah 26: 9

          Putting it all together, here is what John the Baptist was saying:  From the beginning of time until now, there have been two kinds of men, just like there were two kinds of trees during warfare–those that bore fruit, and those that did not.  Up until this very moment in time, it was up to each individual to bring forth fruit or not.  Those who did not obey will be corrected and disciplined (cast into the fire).  But now, because Messiah has come, He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire.  Now, those who obey and who do not have to be beaten in correction, but come into agreement from the heart, are like the barley.  They will be transformed in the air, and they will go first.  These are called the overcomers. Like the barley, they will fall back to earth to be gathered into Messiah’s barn to serve Him.  See our Notes on being a friend of Jesus.

          But those who bring forth fruit, but still must be disciplined because of lack of obedience, are like the wheat.  They will also be gathered into His barn, but after correction, and after the overcomers.  Please note that the wheat, too, loses its chaff, but in a different way.  All of this is made possible because Messiah Jesus will baptize with Holy Spirit and fire.  Some men learn righteousness without the fire of judgment; others need a little correction because they didn’t know better, and others need a lot because they did.

          Do you recall the Lord’s words, when He said, in Luke 12: 

47“And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, 48but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few.

          The last harvest, not mentioned by the Baptist, is the grape harvest.  It is when all of God’s enemies are placed under the feet of Messiah Jesus.  When this occurs, He will turn them into wine, so that there will be barley bread, wheat bread and wine for His communion table.  The teaching by Dr. Stephen Jones on this subject is the best, bar none.

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of the universe, because You have raised up Jesus and given Him unquenchable power and authority to remove the chaff from our lives when we could not do it ourselves!  Baruch ata, Adonai!

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