“Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” (NIV, Hebrews, 5:8-9, italicized mine)

** HEADING to a FINAL DESTINATION **

Many look forward to retirement not only for rest, but for new adventures – to do the things they’ve always wanted to do, and then some.

The greatest adventure the Church has ever been offered, since the days of Christ, is here, now, and you don’t need to retire.

It’s the most intimate offering the Lord has ever placed before the body of Christ: the age of Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13), “Tabernacles,” to be made one with Christ.

To miss this is to miss the greatest opportunity presented by God to mankind.

It’s the journey Christ pioneered (Hebrews 2:10 & 6:20), the promised grace to come (NIV, 1 Peter 1:10-12).

Many, if not most, even those moving in the gifts of the Spirit, are not aware of the depth and extent of God’s offer of healing and restoration, the change in nature he’s promised for those who are made one in Christ.

We have yet to see the ministry of healed and restored men and women of God, but it’s coming.

And it will be unlike anything the body of Christ has seen to date.

And yet, America’s pulpits are silent; continuing to feed the body of Christ “information,” when Christ is seeking those who want “transformation.”

There’s a huge divide between what Christendom holds as the “vision” for the Church, and, the “call” of the Spirit in this late hour of history and transition.

(And there’s an abyss between what the world believes the future holds versus what the Scripture teaches.

Evolution, humanism, and the “world,” present themselves as immovable, permanent, unbeatable, and without question, the “truth,” the future of mankind.

Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, the Mongol empire, the British empire, the Soviet Union, and even America (how tragic) believed the same lies in their day, and the rubble of their Kingdoms is a testimony of their unhealed wounds and the truth of God in his Word.

And the present world kingdom, what the Scripture calls the great and terrible beast, the Antichrist kingdom (Daniel Chapters 2 & 7; Revelation Chapters 12 & 13, etc.), will find its place in history among the rubble of the past when Christ sets in motion events leading up to his physical return.)

****

Tabernacles is the mystery of the Gospel in greater fullness – beyond the new birth and Pentecost – an adventure into intimacy with the Son through the “…open door…” of Philadelphia. (NIV, Revelation 3:8)

It’s as tangible an experience as the new birth and Pentecost, but, even more, much more.

(If order magnitude applies in the spiritual realm, then it applies to Tabernacles in relationship to the new birth and Pentecost.)

In the natural, the new birth may be likened to getting a passport and entering a new land.

It ushers one from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.

In the natural, Pentecost may be likened to learning the language and culture of the new land without venturing from the safety of its shores, the well – established areas of population.

Spiritually, Pentecost multiplies the understanding of the Word, the operations of the Spirit, and greater “preparation” for the plan and purposes of God in being made one with Christ.

It opens up the window to greater insight into the prophetic.

In the natural, Tabernacles may be likened to going deep into uncharted and sparsely populated territories; becoming one with the indigenous (i.e., the first, earliest, and ancient) over a long journey of transformation.

Spiritually, it’s the long journey of being made one with Christ, transformed, i.e., “grafted,” into the Tree of Life, Christ Jesus.

It’s the unimaginable opportunity to be made into the likeness of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords (2 Corinthians 3:18).

To miss this is to miss the ultimate expression of God available to mankind in this creation.

It doesn’t happen when one crosses the shores of the great divide between earth and Heaven.

It’s the special work of grace for earth – the journey Christ pioneered for those who want intimacy and union with him.

It’s a stumbling block to those camped at the watering holes of the new birth and Pentecost – living on the coastline while Jesus is calling his sons and daughters to venture deep into the heartland with him.

Only those in the interior with Christ will be safe when the waves of darkness begin to violently crash against those who inhabit the coast.

Many are not aware of the danger they’re in and the way of escape Christ has already pioneered for them.

The “…deep truths of the faith…” (NIV, 1 Timothy 3:9), i.e., the revelation of Christ by grace (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13) have been lost and hidden so long, that, no matter what God’s Word says, many cannot believe God truly desires to heal and restore them into the likeness of the blessed one.

Without healing and restoration, darkness will have great access, no matter what one does in the natural to protect themselves.

For those who would follow in his footsteps, only the intervention and revelation of Christ can restore the “vision” he fought so hard to pioneer and establish.

It’s impossible for men and women to grasp the reality of God’s promises without the intervention and revelation of Christ.

Important

The revelation of Christ by grace (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13), i.e.,

• healing and restoration: dying to sin to walk in new life; orphans and fatherless restored from glory to glory to Sonship (Romans Chapters 6 to 8, 2 Corinthians 3:18, etc.),
• increasing intimacy, fellowship, and connection with Christ; being known and knowing the person of Christ (Matthew 25:12),
• bringing forth true identity, our new names (Revelation 3:7-13),
• forming the new nature by the miracle working power of God, and the creative acts of bestowing “function and parts” of our soul and spirit missing because of generational sin,
• preparation for specific calling and appointments,
• unveiling of the Word reserved for the final journey, and,
• a new nature, desires, and passions, oriented first and foremost from the perspective of Christ, the center of who we are and what we do,

 

is only possible in the long journey of being made one with Christ.

It’s the only journey designed by God to produce the “…fruit of the Spirit…” in fullness, from the indwelling (Tabernacle) of the living Christ. (NIV, Galatians 5:22, italicized is mine; see also 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 and the promised transformation to resurrection life this side of Heaven)

The New Covenant is not just to get us to Heaven – the Old Covenant did that.

It’s to make us New, from the inside out, to partake of the divine nature this side of Heaven, the bride.

It’s the third and final feast of the Christian pilgrimage, Tabernacles, the age of Philadelphia; reserved by God in the last days to prepare a bride for his Son (Revelation 3:7-13).

It’s the promise of God to truly make things New; not just in the world to come, but in this life, yes, in this life – to be transformed from a virgin to a bride in the time of his visitation.

(Romans Chapter 6, 8:10-11, 8:23, 8:29, 12:2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 1:5, 5:26; Philippians 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:23, etc.)

And the time of his visitation is now: to take his sons and daughters beyond the new birth and Pentecost, and deep into the interior of God’s plan, making men and women into the likeness of his Son.

The last days offer the greatest promises for intimacy and completion this side of Heaven. (Romans 8:10-11; 1 John 3:1 (knowing and being known of the Lord), Revelation 3:7-13)

At a time when darkness is coming to another fullness.

Jesus has truly saved the best for last!

It’s here and upon us now.

Today, men and women are being ushered into the journey of being transformed into the likeness of Christ. (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18)

Let’s be among those who can look back from the Millennium and testify they were a part of the great adventure God offered in the last days.

****

Many want the fruit of Christ and the blessings of the Covenant he established.

But how many are willing to pay the price Christ paid, sacrificing his life (Hebrews Chapters 9 through 10), rights, and privileges (Philippians Chapter 2), being made complete, fathered by God (Hebrews Chapter 5)?

These verses, and the vast majority of verses in the New Testament about Christ, are not about Calvary, but his pioneering journey, being made complete, (Hebrews 5:7-10); becoming the New Testament Savior, our atoning sacrifice, before his ministry.

Christ’s pioneering journey is central to the New Testament, not martyrdom, not Calvary, but the cleansing and healing of wounds and brokenness from generational transgressions and iniquities.

Calvary was an attempt by lawless men to destroy Christ and the New Covenant he birthed, demonstrated in “…signs, wonders, and various miracles” for over 3 years. (NIV, Hebrews 2:4, see also Acts 2:22)

Calvary is not the journey Christ pioneered for his sons and daughters.

Rather, Christ’s journey of being made whole and holy was pictured in the Old Testament (one among many) by the feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus Chapter 23), the summer harvest of fruits, nuts, and olives.

The feast of Tabernacles was fulfilled perfectly by Christ in being made one with his Father, destroying the enmity in his flesh (NIV, Ephesians 2:14-16, Romans 6:10), fulfilling the law completely before ministry.

And after his rejection and death, he picked Peter as one of the first to be ushered into Tabernacles, the long journey of dying to sin to walk in newness of life (John 21:18-19, re: death to sin, not martyrdom; Romans 8:10-11, 1 Peter 1:13, etc.).

Christ pioneered salvation from beginning to end.

He was conceived “into” the new birth; received the baptism of the Holy Spirit; and most importantly, as a young man, began the long journey of Tabernacles.

He completed Tabernacles without sin in his adult years; likely close to the time he was presented to John at the river Jordan.

He put sin to death, raised to walk in new life (NIV, Romans 6:10); mortality taking on immortality; fulfilling Psalm 16 before he entered ministry, “…an indestructible life” High Priest of the faith. (NIV, Hebrews 7:16, italicized mine)

The promised grace to come ushered Christ into the pioneering journey of being healed and restored from generational transgressions and iniquities through the process described as dying to sin, “…made alive in the Spirit.” (NIV, 1 Peter 3:18)

(See also Isaiah 53:5; Romans 4:25, Chapters 5 and 6, 8:10-11; 1 Corinthians 15:20; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 2:14-16 in an interlinear; Hebrews 5:7-10; 1 Peter 2:24, etc.

The death attributed to Christ in these verses, being raised to life, have nothing to do with Calvary, and everything to do with dying to sin; healed and restored to the likeness of the Father, made perfect, resurrection life.

Christ, born “…in the likeness of sinful flesh…” (NIV, Romans 8:3, italicized mine) redeemed his generations first, thus the “firstborn” and “first fruit.”)

The Journey of “Putting Sin to Death, Raised to Walk in New Life”

Described in Words and Phrases

The glorious opportunity of the feast of Tabernacles in the age of Philadelphia

Many references to Christ outside the Gospels (when the context is not about Calvary, i.e., killing), use natural words (because what else is there) to describe and symbolize in pointed and stark terms the journey and process of putting sin to death by the power of the cross, raised to walk in new life, such as:

• sacrifice, crucifying the flesh, cross, blood, wounding, death to sin, “…raised from the dead…” (NIV, 1 Corinthians 15:20, italicized mine), walking in new life, “…learned obedience…” (NIV, Hebrews 5:8, italicized mine) “‘…hung on a pole…’” (NIV, Galatians 3:13, italicized mine), and, among others,
• “‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’” (NIV, 1 Peter 2:24, italicized mine), (the cross here was Christ’s personal cross in being made perfect, not Calvary, companion Scriptures Romans 6:10, Isaiah 53:5, etc.,),
• “The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.” (NIV, Romans 6:10, italicized mine),
• “But he was pierced for our transgression, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (NIV, Isaiah 53:5, italicized mine),
• “…but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death…” (NIV, Hebrews 9:12-14, italicized mine), and
• emptying, firstborn, first fruit, pioneer, forerunner, etc.

 

These terms and phrases do not describe or symbolize different aspects of Christ’s killing, but his journey in putting sin to death, becoming the man we know as our Lord and Savior, fathered by God.

I’ve discussed some of these passages already in this series, and in my other series, and have written much about the use of the term “blood,” when its not about being shed at Calvary, thus, I refer you to my earlier posts.

And I’ve given a number of examples where translators have taken liberty in adding words here and there to point Scriptures to Calvary only adding to the confusion about Calvary and Christ’s perfection.

Thus, the importance of looking at an interlinear.

*** Important ***

The wrath of God is against sin, what Christ put to death in his journey of being made perfect, justifying you and me before God so we can follow in his footsteps.

The great bulk of New Testament writings are about Christ’s journey in being made perfect, likely close to two decades, and not about Calvary.

The language of the New Testament is not the language of the Old; the sacrifices of the New Testament is giving one’s life, not killing the person, for Christ, and for us.

Christ is the New Testament, and was the New Testament in flesh and blood before Calvary (Matthew 26:28), what Israel rejected and tried to kill.

Calvary was the extension of grace; Christ having already atoned for sin in his perfection; by not taking up arms he provided continued opportunity for forgiveness before the physical destruction of Israel.

Legally, spiritually, and experientially, the Old Covenant ceased to exist in the sight of God with the perfection of Christ (Hebrews 5:7-10).

The death of the testator, Christ, (Hebrews 9), in apprehending eternal life (resurrection life foretold for this side of Heaven, Psalm 16), “by putting sin to death, raised to walk in new life,” fulfilled the law perfectly in his flesh, liberating his generations and those in him from the curse of sin.

His “death to sin” in being made perfect (NIV, Romans 6:10, Hebrews 5:7-10), before his ministry, satisfied the law of God by the Messiah doing the will of God without sin.

And in satisfying the heart of God, for “We know that the law is spiritual…” Christ released the “will of the testator,” (from his death to sin), and all the promises of the “will’s” inheritance in him. (NIV, Romans 7:14, bold and italicized mine)

Christ’s death to sin released the promises of his inheritance to us, the “will of the testator,” not Christ’s physical death.

That’s why the New Testament is a better Covenant!

His death to sin was the sacrifice God desired all along and finally brought to pass in his Son.

This is the sacrifice God brought his Son into for you and me, not Calvary, the work of lawless men who rejected the Son, God had hoped they would receive and honor.

Christ, the firstborn, first fruit, was the first to fulfill the promised grace to come (NIV, 1 Peter 1:10-12) by putting sin to death.

And that’s the journey we are invited into: “…by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” (NIV, Romans 7:6, italicized mine)  

If one misses the understanding of the new language Christ established in the New Covenant, the spiritual meaning of these many terms and phrases (1 Corinthians 2:13), then what’s left is the carnal mind of the Old Covenant interpreting New Covenant truths, replicating the Old in the New.

Like I note below it would be like the moon ruling the earth instead of the sun.

Simply, when the New Testament creeds were established, the pioneering journey of Tabernacles had long been lost.

This created a spiritual vacuum, filled quickly by pointing anything and everything to do with death, sacrifice, blood, cross, etc., to Calvary.

Important

If one misses the understanding, “heart,” of the New Testament to put sin to death, and not the sinner, and,

• ignores Christ’s teaching of the new language of the New Testament, “…explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words” (NIV, 1 Corinthians 2:13, and see Matthew 13:35 & John 6:63, etc.);
• confuses and combines two separate streams of prophecies, one, the coming Messiah (to usher Israel into the Millennium), the other, his rejection and killing – the second dependent upon the choice of lawless men, not Christ, and certainly not God;
• misses the teaching in Scripture Christ “is” the New Testament in flesh and blood, the Messiah, the lamb, before Calvary; healing and forgiving sins before Calvary;
• misunderstands the purpose of the promised grace – to put sin to death, not Christ – ushering Christ into the journey of redeeming mankind through his perfection, i.e., sacrificial atonement “doing the will of God, destroying the barrier between the law and his flesh” (Romans 6:10 & 8:3, Ephesians 2:14-16, see an interlinear, Hebrews 2:17 & 4:15);
• and misses the understanding a change in covenants brings a change in sacrificial systems, i.e., instead of offering animals to show sin leads to death, and sin’s death leads to forgiveness, the “New” took grace directly to sin, killing sin, raising Christ to new life, immortality, the firstborn (Col 1:15).

 

If these missteps happen, which they do in creeds, then the meat of Scripture is gutted: the New Covenant becomes a remake of the Old, instead of “New;” and Christ is emasculated.

And, God’s sons and daughters are left camped at Pentecost, having no inspiration, vision, and path, to Tabernacles.

Because we have an “event” falsely describing the beginning of the New Covenant and Christ’s atoning sacrifice, (i.e., Calvary), instead of a journey and story of being made whole and holy by the power of the Holy Spirit, becoming our Savior (his perfection), Hebrews 5:7-10.

Calvary did nothing to change the state of relationship between God and man, God and Christ, or Christ and man, but was the continuation of grace, a price he did not have to pay but chose.

Simply, the many terms and phrases used in the New Testament to describe crucifying the flesh and all the like (putting sin to death), are not different methods or perspectives of the killing of Christ.

But, the teaching by different authors at different times in stark and costly terms the journey and spiritual warfare of putting sin to death by the power of the cross, the sacrificial giving of oneself to God by grace through faith.

And for Christ, who was born to put generational transgressions and iniquities to death for all as the substitute for mankind, the cost he paid and the spiritual warfare he faced could only be described in the most explicit ways:

• words used to describe complete surrender to God, intimacy, and depth, such as, crucifying the flesh, blood sacrifice, nailed to a pole, etc.; and in
• terms depicting utter dependence upon God for healing and restoration under the restraining power of the Holy Spirit.

 

The human language and emotions is inadequate to express the gallantry and eternal consequences of Christ’s journey and story: sacrificing everything to be made perfect, followed by 40 days of testing, ministering for over 3 years, and then, rejected, extending grace to the uttermost: Who can put words to this?

And here, in the 21^st century, he’s still patiently laboring with men and women to bring those who desire intimacy into conformity with his nature.

** QUICK REFRESH **

Translators have added words or made other changes with some Scriptures to point them to Calvary, e.g., Matthew 26:54, Acts 2:23, Romans 3:25, Colossians 1:20, and Hebrews 12:4.

See earlier posts for changes made to Matthew 26:54 and Acts 2:23 – which made God not only complicit in the killing of Christ, but “his plan.”

And see my earlier posts about the use of the word “blood” in the New Testament; how it’s used as an intimate expression describing Christ’s sacrifice in putting sin to death, and, what he meant when he talked about his blood (John 6:53-63).

In the absence of understanding Christ used both literal and spiritual symbolism in reference to blood, the language of the New Covenant – translators have added words like “shed or shedding” to blood in some verses to fill in what they believe is “understood” but missing in the Greek.

And there are other Scriptures made to align with what the creeds say of Christ, so “lay” readers can connect verses to what is commonly taught about him.

For example, the Greek says the faith “of” Christ (Romans 3:22 & 3:26, Galatians 2:16 & 3:22), but the translation I use has the preposition “in.”

It makes a world of difference which preposition is used.

Because “of” faith means Christ operated by faith just like you and me: How else could he be our Savior and pioneer if he did not pioneer the path by grace through faith?

As I’ve noted before, we’re indebted to those who’ve labored over the centuries producing the vast treasure trove of translations, commentaries, and the like we have today.

Nonetheless, creeds and traditions have been extremely influential in “filling in” what appears to be gaps in the Greek to make the wording better conform to what is commonly taught and believed as Church doctrine.

Creeds and traditions are powerful – no different than the other “agreements” we make outside of Christ and his Word.

Creeds and traditions can be just as powerful as what we normally view as generational transgressions and iniquities.

They’re Christendom’s filters through which most everything having to do with Christ are measured and weighed.

We face the same things Christ faced in his day: traditions having greater “weight” than God’s Word.

The same sinful tendency to establish observable and measurable criteria to judge one another in the absence of intimacy with Christ.

It’s tragic, but true.

In the absence of pointing and inspiring God’s sons and daughters toward deeper intimacy with Christ, there’s more of Christ to be apprehended, Christendom instituted beliefs as a substitute for the person of Christ.

As I’ve mentioned before, this was done to identify who is in the faith, in the absence of intimacy (being known and knowing). (NIV, Matthew 25:12).

If one lacks intimacy with Christ, they don’t know what or who to believe, and subject to every wind of doctrine, whether it be humanism, evolution, atheism, or even some of the most common ones found in church creeds and traditions.

Beliefs contrary to Scripture can keep one camped or point one in the wrong direction when the Spirit of God is moving on.

No wonder the Scripture says there’s a great falling away in the last days.

We need the truth of God’s Word more than ever in times of increasing peril.

Only intimacy with Christ will make a way through the escalating depth and intensity of darkness.

No matter how dark things become, Christ will have a bride in the last days – it’s as certain as the sun coming up tomorrow morning.

His labor of love over two millenniums will come to fruition in the end-times, setting in motion dynamic change in Christendom and the world.

The Lord will have a people group birthed from Tabernacles who will usher many into relationship with Christ while the day is still light.

It’s his prayer and Father’s promise: the heart of the Gospel to come to fullness in the Philadelphia church age.

Certain creeds and traditions established in the first millennium have slowly and steadily been found wanting, i.e., “laid to rest,” during the Reformation through and including the return of Pentecost in the early 1900s.

In the last few decades, the Lord has rolled back even more of them, as the urgency for intimacy with him has increased.

And even now, Christ is preparing to reveal even more of his personal journey to greater groups of sons and daughters because of the lateness of the hour.

The knowledge of the feast of Tabernacles is not well known, but will be in the coming years as the Lord accelerates his work in the last days.

The understanding of Tabernacles today is more critical than ever.

And I don’t mean just the understanding, but the “becoming,” the journey.

Many have labored in the past to figure out what the feast of Tabernacles looked like in the Christian pilgrimage and how was it fulfilled.

But we now know it was fulfilled in Christ just like the other feasts.

Unlike Passover and Pentecost, Tabernacles was fulfilled by Christ over his long pioneering journey of being made one with the Father.

It’s been in the Scriptures all along, hidden under the shadow of Calvary and creeds and traditions.

It’s the predominant subject and writing in the New Testament.

Christ has waited long enough, making it known today to those who desire intimacy with him.

And he’s provisioned sufficient resources to carry the weight of what he’s about to do.

We know from Scripture, as the Gospel age comes to a close, there’ll be an end-time move of God, a bride prepared from “out” of the Church, a great falling away, and, an Antichrist system intent on capturing all in its grasp.

It’s tragic and ironic, but many will reject the coming move of God, while many in the world will find the Savior they’ve longed for all along.

****

Tabernacles, the final feast of the Christian pilgrimage, is the deepest, most intimate, having the greatest promises in Christ this side of Heaven.

If one misses the understanding Christ redeemed fallen men and women by destroying the barrier of sin passed to him from his human ancestry, the heart and plan of the New Testament is missed.

The New Testament is not a minor change, but a dynamic new journey so different from the Old it can only be characterized in vivid and stark ways – like comparing the sun to the moon, light to dark, life to death, righteousness to sin, immortality to mortality, or, “…by grace…through faith…” to the works of the flesh. (NIV, Ephesians 2:8, bold and italicized mine)

If the Scripture compares the New Testament to the Old Testament like the sun is to darkness, we’ve been put on notice how surpassing in greatness is the change.

The descriptions used in the New Testament to describe the journey Christ pioneered leave no stones unturned to the depth, extent, and intensity of the transformation he underwent in being made one with the Father.

The many vivid and stark words and phrases used to describe Christ’s transformation and ours symbolically paint in the natural what is happening spiritually.

Tragically, today, many have become numb to the reality of Christ – the vast, dynamic, and complete change from the Old: the great expanse of revelation and intimacy available in him today.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” (NIV, John 3:19)

Let’s be among those who press forward, and not be found among those who turn aside.

Today, Christ is bringing “revival” to individuals around the world, preparing forerunners to help the many who will land on the shores of the New Covenant in the days ahead.

They’ll need many to help them prepare for the journey with Christ into the interior of God’s kingdom.

When greater fullness comes and revival breaks forth in the public arena, there won’t be lots of time, like ages past, for decades of teaching.

It took almost 400 years for the Reformation (the new birth), to come to fullness.

The return of Pentecost in the early 1900s came to fullness in less than a century.

And when Tabernacles bursts forth, the third and final feast of the Old Covenant to be fulfilled in a corporate body in the last days (Philadelphia), it will come to maturity in even less time than it took Pentecost.

Though the journey of Tabernacles in one’s life is the longest one of the three, Scripture indicates the corporate season of Tabernacles and the revival it spawns will take less time than the preceding season of Pentecost.

Simply, many will be ushered quickly and deeply into the things of God unlike decades past.

Because of the rapidity of spiritual fullness in the last days, there won’t be the time, like past moves of God, to spend decade after decade teaching each new generation the path into Tabernacles.

There simply isn’t time left on the “spiritual” calendar to do that.

The Lord’s work in the last days will be quick, deep, intense, and extensive over a relatively short period of time, growing and maturing many before events are set in motion for his ultimate return.

The dynamics of transformation under the New Covenant, i.e., putting the old man to death, “…made alive in the Spirit,” (NIV, 1 Peter 3:18), “‘…new wine into new wineskins.’” (NIV, Mark 2:22), changed from glory to glory (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18), dying to sin to walk in new life (NIV, Romans 6:10), etc., and all the rest of like terms and phrases were graphically pictured by the prophet Malachi some 400 years before Christ:

“But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?

For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.

Then the LORD will have men who bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD…” (NIV, Malachi 3:2-4)

This is not just about national Israel, but also the spiritual Israel of God; the cleansing and healing power of Christ for his body, he being the first to undergo healing and restoration. (Hebrews 5:7-10, Christ, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, us).

And for those who’ve been following my posts, we know Isaiah 53:5 is about both Christ and us, the wounding and piercing of generational transgressions and iniquities – cleansing and healing – to walk in newness of life.

Christ was the first to experience the journey of Tabernacles: made one with the Father by the refining power of the Holy Spirit, cleansed and healed from wounds and transgressions and iniquities passed to him from his human ancestry.

“Decisions” alone will not birth Christ in you and me.

Just as the new birth and Pentecost are individually unique and specific spiritual experiences, so to Tabernacles.

It requires the power of the Holy Spirit to conceive, form, and mature Christ in those who’ve responded to the call to be intimate with him; those who desire all he has to offer this side of Heaven.

As Pentecost multiplies the new birth experience, Tabernacles even more multiplies Pentecost.

As the Holy of Holies was unique, distinct, and separate, from the Most Holy Place, so to Tabernacles compared to Pentecost.

It’s a deep place of grace in the revelation of Christ (1 Peter 1:13).

It is not something done in the flesh.

And once entered, there’s no turning back.

In the New Covenant, barley and wheat can be transformed into fruit bearing seed, but fruit bearing seed cannot be transformed back to barley and wheat.

Once Israel entered the wilderness journey, there was no going back.

Once David entered the wilderness fleeing for his life from Saul, there was no going back.

And once God began the work preparing John the Baptist to announce the coming of the Lord, and once the Father ushered Christ into the journey of being made one with him, there was no going back.

This is for keeps.

Jesus is all we need to finish the journey strong.

Galatians 3:13

First, when the authors of the New Testament refer to Calvary, which is referred to infrequently outside the Gospels, it’s generally in reference to him being killed.

I gave a list of these Scriptures in the last post.

There’s a night and day difference between crucifying the flesh – the enmity in the flesh – versus, crucifying the person.

There’s a night and day difference between dying to sin, raised to walk in newness of life (NIV, Romans 6:10), “…Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (NIV, 1 Corinthians 15:20), versus, being killed by lawless men and resurrected by God.

There’s a night and day difference between being glorified, i.e., perfected, becoming our “…atoning sacrifice…” (NIV, 1 John 2:2), our Savior (NIV, Hebrews 5:7-10), the blood of Christ washing away our sins (NIV, 1 John 1:7), versus, glorified a second time after being killed by lawless men (John Chapter 12).

There’s a night and day difference between God presenting Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, the Lamb John the Baptist saw at the river Jordan, versus, lawless men taking God’s gift, and killing the gift of God, not because they’re following a script, but because they refused to heed the prophecies and come to repentance.

I think it’s clear there’s a pattern of thinking in creeds and traditions forcing things to say what they don’t mean, ignoring not only the principles of Bible interpretation, but lacking the revelation of the Spirit which birthed the New and “better” covenant.

Many scriptures are erroneously tagged to Calvary when their meanings represent the one thing God always wanted after the fall, someone to put sin to death so future generations could be restored to wholeness and holiness.

And the process of putting sin to death can only be described by dying to sin to walk in new life, the cross, sacrifice, wounding, being raised from the dead, i.e., mortality becoming immortality, and all the like terms and phrases, etc.

And there’s no other words available to describe the process of putting sin to death than the same words used to describe physical death, and that includes the use of the term blood, when it’s not being referred to as “shed or shedding,” – which requires checking with the actual Greek.

And simply, putting sin to death does not mean one has sinned, as James describes in Chapter 1; but in Christ’s case, it means putting to death those things passed to him from his human ancestry.

And God, knowing Adam and Eve would fall, purposed a Son who would come and destroy sin passed from generation to generation, without sinning.

He would be the one to open the door of “…by grace…through faith…” to men and women everywhere. (NIV, Ephesians 2:8)

Accordingly, words and phrases like wounding, piercing, dying to sin, and the ones I listed above refer to the process of putting sin to death, cleansed, healed, and restored by grace through faith, fathered by God.

That’s the plan of salvation for men and women; the path and way Christ pioneered for those who would be his sons and daughters.

This is why commentaries and others have labored endlessly and tirelessly trying to figure out how certain words are supposed to apply to Calvary when in fact the context and the words themselves can mean any number of things.

It’s left the Church camped at Calvary when it should be following the Spirit of God into the “…deep truths of the faith…” (NIV, 1 Timothy 3:9)

In Galatians Paul speaks of Christ becoming a curse for us and being hung on a pole, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’” (NIV, Galatians 3:13)

The natural mind looks at this passage and thinks, well, we know Christ was crucified at Calvary, nailed to either a tree or a post, depending on which commentary you read, so this passage must refer to Calvary.

The problem with this thinking is manyfold:

• it does not agree with Scripture, ignoring two different streams of prophecies,
• it interprets this passage outside the teaching of Scripture, ignoring the purpose of the coming Messiah, the promised grace to come, and who he would “become” fathered by God,
• it’s naturally minded, replicating (actually degrading) the Old Covenant,
• it’s birthed from creeds and fatherlessness, gravely distorting the image of God as one who would sacrifice his Son on a cross like sinful men and women,
• it violates the commandments and teaching of the Scripture and Christ, and, among others, too numerous to mention,
• ignores the revelation of the Spirit, the new language Christ brought forth to explain spiritual things in human terms (1 Corinthians 2:13).

 

Plain Talk, Galatians 3:13

We know from Scripture Christ was born just like everybody else in this creation with the exception of being conceived by the Holy Spirit.

But the Scripture makes clear he was born “…in the likeness of sinful flesh…” made in every which way just like you and me, facing the same temptations we face, from within and without. (NIV, Romans 8:3, see also Hebrews 2:17, and 4:15)

And if we struggle in understanding that, the Scripture says specifically Christ had enmity inside him (Ephesians 2:14-16 see an interlinear), contrary to creeds and traditions.

His conception by the Holy Spirit brought the “new birth” at conception, elevating him into grace, restoring what Adam and Eve lost at the fall, i.e., the ability to choose righteousness without the imprint of personal sin.

The context of the book of Galatians is about putting sin to death by grace through faith versus striving for perfection by the works of the flesh (Galatians 3:2-3).

Being nailed to a pole is tantamount to saying Christ who knew no sin, was born with transgressions and inequities, i.e., in the likeness of fallen men and women.

And only by the restraining power of the Holy Spirit, the cross, in utter dependence upon God, sacrificing everything, could he hope to overcome the seeds of sin rooted in wounds and brokenness and put them to death.

It would require intense healing and restoration, fathered by God.

Nailed to a pole describes man’s inability to cleanse and heal himself in utter dependence upon the grace of God.

It is tantamount to saying the Spirit of grace placed Christ in a position where the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, could begin the long journey of uprooting transgressions and inequities (Matthew Chapter 15), in cleansing, healing, and restoration – the creative and transforming work of God.

Simply, being nailed to a pole describes our helplessness in saving ourselves, and the intensity of the journey of healing and restoration.

That you are totally dependent on God for life.

Hung on a pole shows the utter futility of trying to save ourselves by the works of the flesh and the restraining power of the Holy Spirit to change our nature in reliance upon God.

Christ, born “…in the likeness of sinful flesh…” went through the long journey of being “nailed to a pole,” as the Father cleansed, healed, and restored his firstborn from generational transgressions and iniquities, the “one” all others would be grafted into. (NIV, Romans 8:3)

The Galatians knew Paul was not talking about Calvary, but putting to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit of God, not the works of the flesh.

Paul would not speak of Calvary using such demeaning language, as if, Christ was an animal, hung on a pole as a sacrifice for others.

The evidence Christ had crucified his flesh was his “life” – manifesting the fruit of the Spirit perfectly, confirmed by God through Christ by “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” (NIV, Hebrews 2:4, see also Acts 2:22)

(By the way, though the Hebrew reference appears to lean toward those who followed Christ, it is true nonetheless of Christ.)

Under the Old Covenant, capital punishment could be meted for killing someone.

All of us born of the flesh have “capital punishment,” hanging over our heads.

The Galatians tried to circumvent the cross of Christ by the works of the flesh – circumcision being one of them.

Paul used one of the most dramatic examples he could in showing not even Christ could circumvent the cross of putting sin to death by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The proof Christ was hung on a pole (symbolically), redeeming men and women from the curse of the law, (generational transgressions and iniquities), being “made” righteousness, is the promise of the Spirit that comes to all in Christ, and the fruit of the Spirit so evident in the life of Christ, and those who begin to walk in resurrection life.

It’s tragic, Christendom is consumed with the teaching God sacrificed his Son at Calvary, when God sacrificed his Son in “putting sin to death,” by the power of the cross, made complete, becoming whole and holy, our Savior.

God’s offering was a righteous offering: the offering of his Son in being made perfect, redeeming his generations from transgressions and iniquities, becoming the “…atoning sacrifice…” for our sins, the pioneer of salvation. (NIV, 1 John 2:2)

(Romans 3:25 is about being made perfect and not the killing of Christ).

There’s a night and day difference between God revealing his will to Christ to not fight those intent on killing him, having just spent over three years trying to save and heal Israel (but, if he chose to, God would send him angels), versus, God planning the brutal execution of his Son by the hands of lawless men.

A practice God abhorred.

Important

There’s a night and day difference between two streams of prophecies in the Old Testament:

One, the coming of the Messiah, his personal journey and public ministry.

Second, the response of lawless men who refused Christ’s testimony and the work of the Father through him in “…miracles, wonders and signs…” (NIV, Acts 2:22, bold and italicized mine)

Versus combining the two streams like yeast in dough, making them one; teaching, contrary to Scripture, it was God’s will to kill Christ to usher in the New Covenant and redeem mankind from sin.

Everything about the last sentence is contrary to the heart of God, what Christ preached, what the New Testament authors wrote, and every principle of life, justice, and righteousness taught in the Scriptures.

And it’s contrary to the parable Christ gave about God hoping his Son would be respected.

This thinking, universally taught in Christendom in creeds and traditions, elevates sinners over Christ: God needing the help of sinful men and women to bring salvation to mankind.

As if Christ needed help in becoming our Savior.

That our salvation required the help of sinful men is beyond teaching of Scripture, wisdom, and the heart of God.

Jesus did not need help by sinful men and women to become our Savior.

His journey with the Father, Hebrews 5:7-10, and many other Scriptures, ushered him into eternal life, resurrection power, “…an indestructible life” (NIV, Hebrews 7:16, italicized mine), being changed from mortality to immortality.

That’s who God presented to John at the river Jordan.

This thinking makes sinful men worth more than God’s Son; the only perfect man, feeding the subtle notion we are in charge of our lives; demeaning Christ as an expendable means of bringing salvation.

If lawless men and women were necessary to birth the New Covenant, the redemption of mankind, being an instrument to allay God’s anger against sinners, then the Scriptures and Christ should applaud their actions.

And if he was sent to be murdered to bring salvation, then why spend three years of trying to win the hearts of Israel and usher in the Millennium?

The pointing of Scriptures about “putting sin to death,” to Calvary, instead of Christ’s journey, elevates the killing of Christ above the killing of sin.

And it wreaks havoc with the parables Christ spoke shortly before his death of the Father hoping Israel would receive the Son (Matthew 21:33-46).

And of other parables he shared about how a divided kingdom will fall (NIV, Mark 3:24), and the teaching in Scripture don’t do evil to have a good outcome (NIV, Romans 3:8).

The knowledge of the feast of Tabernacles, the journey of being made one with Christ, cleansed and healed of generational transgressions and iniquities, releases the Scriptures from the grip of creeds and traditions and into the hands of grace to be made new.

Christ brought life, not death: his perfection brought death to sin and life – “eternal life, resurrection life” – to him first, and those who come to him.

The Scriptures of Christ’s sacrifice, blood, death to sin, wounding, crucifying the flesh, etc., where the context is not about killing, are Scripture birthing life – putting to death sin by the power of the cross.

Jesus said, talking about his journey, and his invitation to journey in the path he pioneered:

“‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.’” (NIV, Matthew 16:24 – 25)

“‘But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!’” (NIV, Luke 12:50)

Important

This last verse in the Greek reads quite different than the English translation.

That’s because the context and meaning of this section of Scripture is not about Calvary (Calvary is not a baptism), but about the baptism he deeply desires for men and women in being made clean, whole, and holy, into the likeness of the Father.

The “…proclaim good news to the poor…. bind up the brokenhearted…proclaim freedom for the captives…release from darkness for the prisoners…proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor…” (NIV, Isaiah 61:1-2, italicized mine) is about being healed and restored body, soul, and spirit, the fruit and journey of Tabernacles, the deep work of grace in the revelation of Christ (2 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 1 Peter 1:13, etc.).

That can only come about by being baptized with the baptism Christ pioneered, being made new, whole, and complete in the likeness of the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans Chapter 6).

This is the journey of dying to sin, being raised to walk in newness of life. (NIV, Romans 6:10, 1 Corinthians 15:20, etc.)

Undergo is not in the Greek.

This verse is about the journey of being made whole and holy in line with the context of the passage and the mission of Christ to heal and restore from the inside out.

It’s about Christ bringing his sons and daughters into the baptism of “death to sin” he was baptized with.

****

There’s a death to die this side of Heaven Christ pioneered for the children of God.

It’s a sacrificial giving of oneself to God to be cleansed, healed, and restored into the likeness of the Son he perfected.

It’s a death to sin, and not to the body, soul, or spirit.

It results in life, and that more abundantly!

The Church has been camped in the new birth and Pentecost for a long time.

The Lord is preparing many so he can unleash Tabernacles in fullness.

Creeds and traditions nicely wrap the story of Christ into a neat little package; tragically missing the foundation of the New Covenant and the journey he pioneered for his sons and daughters.

But they do not hold back the Lord from revealing his story, and he’s doing that now like never before.

Because there’s no other “way” to the deep treasures and richness of Christ.

For you who’ve been waiting, it’s here, the “‘…open door…’” of Philadelphia (NIV, Revelation 3:8).

** BECOMING **

The Christian journey is about “becoming,” and “doing,” out of who we become in Christ.

And “becoming” requires the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

It’s the revelation of Christ by grace (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13), transforming our lowly natures from glory to glory into the nature of Christ.

And part of that is bringing death to sin and its mastery over us.

By divine grace wounds and brokenness are cleansed and healed and the sins that feed on them.

This is the “…profound mystery…” of the Gospel: by grace through faith, the creative and miracle working power of God transforms our lowly natures into the nature of Christ in the season of pilgrimage known as Tabernacles. (NIV, Ephesians 5:32, italicized mine)

The new birth and Pentecost have some restoration, but it is Tabernacles, the deep and intense work of the Spirit of grace in putting sin to death, where the greatest transformation occurs in the hope of being made one with Christ.

Tabernacles is Christ’s promise not to leave us as orphans, but to come to us: to restore the image and likeness of the Father by healing and restoring our wounds and brokenness from fatherlessness.

Tabernacles is not an intangible mystic experience, but a profound work of the Spirit to heal and restore men and women from the Fall: tangible healing and transformation to body, soul, and spirit.

This is the journey Christ ushered Peter into (John 21:18), which Peter writes in his second letter:

“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:4)

Our “escaping and participation” is pilgrimage in this life, not, for the next!

Note:

John 21:18 is not about Peter being martyred at some future date; but about the death he would die in putting sin to death to walk in resurrection life, i.e., Tabernacles, his reference in what we know as 1 Peter 1:13.

The feast of Tabernacles is the heart and meat of the New Testament, and other than the Gospels, the bulk of the writing.

Talents and Gifts

In the creative plan of God, talents and gifts are designed to flow “out” in service to God and others out of who we become in intimacy, connection, and union with Christ.

Without healing and restoration by the Spirit of God, it is impossible to produce “…the fruit of the Spirit…” in the measure and fullness reserved for those who enter Tabernacles, the deep work of the Spirit of grace.  (NIV, Galatians 5:22)

There’s a depth in Christ, yet to come, the Church has not seen and the world has not witnessed.

Though, it seems to linger, the move of God’s Spirit, it will be revealed when the Lord brings his bride to maturity and fullness in the closing seasons of the Gospel dispensation.

The treasure and richness of Christ will be revealed by his bride to a lost and dying world, and, circle back to awaken many who have fallen asleep in the cares of this life in the last days.

Without deep healing and restoration, talents and gifts receiving praise and applause, can easily deceive the one bearing them, and the ones receiving – becoming synonymous with identity and favor, that all is well and good.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:2, “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (NIV)

(This is not talking about Calvary, but Christ’s death to sin, walking in resurrection life.)

Talents and gifts can easily provide a false sense of self-approval and accomplishment.

They’re not the measure of who we’ve become: but the grace of God displayed in men and women, no matter how wounded or broken they are on the inside.

Even Christ, the man Christ Jesus, who by grace through faith walked with God, used his talents and the gifts of God out of who he had become in relationship to his Father, (whom he said was superior to him, NIV, John 14:28), and not as a source of identity and favor.

Signs, wonders, and miracles confirmed and testified what he said about himself, but, they did not define who he had become.

The best measure of who we become is “…the fruit of the Spirit…” which can only come about in fullness by the transforming work of Christ, cleansing and healing our wounds and brokenness. (NIV, Galatians 5:22, italicized mine)

The deeper one is taken by the power of the Holy Spirit in the revelation of Christ by grace (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13), the more we become like Christ, the more our inner man and woman aligns with our talents and gifts, but they are not the definition of who we are or who we’re becoming.

Note: IMPORTANT

The multiplication of talents of two of the three servants in Matthew Chapter 25:14-30 (and gathering of oil of the wise virgins), are not the result of intimacy with Christ through personal journey with him, i.e., Tabernacles.

But rather, the multiplication of the Word of God and spiritual gifting’s of the new birth and Pentecostal experiences.

Notice in this parable how the two faithful servants are likened to the wise virgins of the previous parable – who made sure they gathered (purchased/multiplied) sufficient oil for the return of the bridegroom.

In both parables, upon his return, the wise virgins and the faithful servants are brought into a deeper relationship with Christ; the “joy” of becoming a “bride” by “entering” into the journey of being made one with Christ.

The return of the bridegroom and the master is not the second coming, but the coming of Christ to take those who’ve prepared into the third leg of the Christian pilgrimage, to be made one with him.

The emphasis is on “preparing for his return,” his coming, so when he comes to choose those who desire intimacy with him, they’ll be ready to enter the deep work of the Spirit of grace and not be found wanting, left behind, never coming to know him, or he, them.

The ultimate desire of Christ is not the multiplication of talents and gifts.

Christ commends the multiplication because they’ve been faithful to put to work the Word of God, by grace through faith, in response to the Spirit of God in preparing for his return, “coming,” of the Lord to his temple for cleansing and healing.

Without preparation, the Lord cannot usher his sons and daughters into the baptism of his journey, the journey he pioneered, of being made one with him, a new creation.

The virgins and the servants of Matthew 25 are just beginning their journey with Christ upon his return.

The wise virgins and servants are the story of preparation, not the story of entering Heaven, but the story of being prepared when the Lord comes to his temple to make it his own.

The story of the wise virgins and servants is the story of what they did in preparation, not what Christ did in journey with them, and this is important to understand.

Jesus said, “‘For many are invited, but few are chosen.’” (NIV, Matthew 22:14, italicized is mine)

When the bridegroom and master returns, the emphasis changes, the future will be based upon the deep work of the revelation of Christ in them (1 Peter 1:13).

The wise virgins are ushered into journey to be “made ready,” for the wedding.

Simply, in other words, once the bridegroom returns, and the wise virgins go out to meet him, he takes them on a journey of being made ready, transformed, from virgins, into brides.

Matthew 25 verse 10 captures the “making ready,” a bride for the King, see an interlinear.

This is the same with the servants who multiply the talents and gifts given to them when their master is gone.

When he returns, those who’ve been faithful, are invited in to the next and final stage of their pilgrimage, the making of servants into brides, the joy of the Lord, to be brought into union with Christ.

Again, the return of the bridegroom and master is not the end of the journey in this life, but on the contrary, the entrance into the deep waters of the Holy Spirit to be made one with Christ, the long journey of Tabernacles.

The three parables/allegories, Matthew 24:36 through Matthew 25:30, are not about numbers (quantity), but the condition of the heart.

The Gospel is not about a one – time event, the new birth or Calvary, but a journey in being made one with Christ, our bridegroom and Savior.

The three stories presented here are the beginning of their journeys: preparing for the master to return, the first, where one is taken, to be served by him; the second, where they go out to meet the bridegroom, to be made, transformed, from virgins into brides; and in the last, servants, ushered into the joy of the Lord, to be transformed into Sonship.

These stories are about “doing,” preparing, being “turned” toward the Lord.

So, when he comes, we’ll be sufficiently prepared to be ushered into the journey of transformation, from “doing” to “becoming.”

The new birth and Pentecost are about learning and doing, co-laboring with the Spirit to be prepared for the return of the bridegroom, our master, so he can cleanse and heal our Temple to make it his home.

The new birth and Pentecost, the Outer Court and Holy Place, are more corporate than private.

Whereas the deep work the Spirit, Tabernacles, the Most Holy Place, i.e., the long journey of being made one with Christ, is more private than corporate.

Jesus left more unsaid then said in the stories, because the Bible is a book about relationship, not a manual.

A book to stimulate and inspire, not a blueprint.

His point was to emphasize getting prepared for his return to be made whole and holy.

He gave just enough information to get our attention and turn our lives toward him, anymore, and we would be overwhelmed.

There’s a world of difference between gathering oil and multiplying talents, being faithful in the beginning stages of our Christian journey, versus, being made whole and holy by the transforming work of grace in being made one with Christ.

No, these parables/allegories are not about the end of the Christian journey, just the opposite, really the beginning of the deep things of God.

Upon entering the process of being made one with Christ, they will no longer be called servants and virgins, but Sons (and Daughters) in the making, Sonship.

They will be on their “way” to fulfilling the mystery of the Gospel, “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (NIV, Colossians 1:27, italicized mine, and see Romans 8:10-11)

****

Talents and gifts are one of a number of means of inspiring and cultivating an appetite not only for the things of Christ, but Christ.

They’re a “sign” pointing men and women to Christ, but, not the destination.

Jesus is our destination.

What’s missing in Christendom is a greater understanding among the wise, those who faithfully multiply, there’s a lot more to Christ, much more, i.e., Jesus is not after what we can do in him, but who we become in him.

And he’s reserved the journey of Tabernacles, transformation, to accomplish his ultimate plan and purposes for our lives.

However, our great need for healing and restoration does not stop God from graciously and lovingly bestowing talents and gifts to wounded and broken vessels.

Talents and gifts are not a measure of how well we’re doing, but a measure of God’s grace apart from our wounds and brokenness.

It’s over a long journey the wise and faithful come to realize the vast difference between their talents and gifts, wounds and brokenness, and, eventually, the fruit of the Spirit – the fullness of which is the province of Tabernacles.

What Paul in Romans Chapter 8 in verse 23 calls the “…adoption to sonship…” and in verse 29, “…to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (NIV)

For the wise and faithful servants of God, Philadelphia is the open door to Tabernacles.

Important

Godly fruitfulness requires the creative transforming power of the Holy Spirit to change our lowly natures into his glorious nature (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Gifting’s of the Spirit, and the exercise of our talents, do not require transformation by the Holy Spirit before they’re used in ministry.

Gifts and talents are bestowed by grace to move us toward Christ, but are not the revelation of Christ.

The revelation of Christ transforms our nature into his glorious nature.

One of the great traps facing this age is the misunderstanding between gifts, talents, and the creative transformation of the Holy Spirit to produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness in God’s sons and daughters.

God freely bestows gifts and talents upon those who come into the New Birth (born – again), and Pentecostal experience.

But it’s not until the experience of Tabernacles (the third and final feast of the Old Testament fulfilled in the New), the intense journey of restoration to Christ likeness begins, as wounds and brokenness are cleansed and healed.

It’s not until those who’ve been harvesting grain are ushered into the harvest of summer fruits, i.e., grafted into the Tree of Life, Christ, transformation begins: producing the treasured fruit of Summer, and not just the grains of Spring.

And only Christ can graft us into him through the open door of Philadelphia, a process of preparing and choosing those who desire him.

As many know, Israel’s agricultural year not only symbolized their spiritual journey but ours as well.

Besides symbolizing the journey through the Outer Court and Holy Place of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and Temple, the Spring grain harvests of barley and wheat are symbolic of the New Birth and Pentecost in the New Testament Christian experience.

And their Summer fruit harvest is symbolic of the long journey of Tabernacles, the Most Holy Place, i.e., the deep work of the Spirit of grace in the revelation of Christ in the inner man and woman (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13).

And for Tabernacles to happen, one must be grafted into the Tree of Life, the beginning process of dying to sin to walk in newness of life (NIV, Romans 6:10).

Grains cannot produce fruit, but must be transformed into a new nature, a seed producing fruit, from a seed producing grain.

And that can only happen by being grafted into Christ, the third and final feast of the Old Covenant fulfilled in the New: Tabernacles, the open door of the age of Philadelphia.

Tabernacles is as different from the New Birth and Pentecost, as they are as different from being unsaved.

Grafting into the Tree of Life does not begin with the New Birth and Pentecost.

The New Birth and Pentecost bring us into the kingdom, an understanding of Christ, to show us what’s available in Christ, preparing you and me to aspire for the deeper things of Christ, to be made in his likeness (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18), but they are not the journey of Tabernacles.

The New Birth and Pentecost are signs pointing to Tabernacles: the long journey of becoming full sons and daughters, bearing the likeness of the one who redeemed us through his atoning sacrifice.

My earlier posts in this series have more on the three feasts of Leviticus 23 fulfilled in the Christian pilgrimage.

They’re specifically and progressively unveiled in the church ages of Revelation, parables of Christ (Matthew Chapter 13), Paul’s nine letters to the churches, the creation account, and six millenniums of Bible history.

It’s important to remember signs, wonders, miracles, talents, and gifts do not by their nature reveal the nature of the one exercising them.

The gifts of God and the manifestation of his Spirit is for advancing the Kingdom of God in the lives of others.

They do not change who we are or alter our need for healing and restoration.

And, talents, gifts, signs, wonders, and miracles are not indicators or measures of the fruit of the Spirit.

Only intimacy and connection with Christ, grafted into him, can produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives.

Finally, in reference to Christ, signs, wonders, and miracles confirmed his testimony; inseparable from his nature in perfect union with his Father.

Christ claimed to come from the Father (NIV, John 16:8), received his authority from the Father (John 17:2), had “‘…authority…to forgive sins’” (NIV, Matthew 9:6), was “‘…the way and the truth and the life…’” (NIV, John 14:6), the source of salvation (John 8:24, 10:28, 11:25, 17:2), God confirming his claims with signs, wonders, and miracles, Acts 2:22 and Hebrews 2:4.

Important

The measure of our standing in Christ is not based on “gift’s,” the work of the Spirit flowing through us, or, anointing God may give as prophets, apostles, pastors, teachers, or evangelists, but “…the fruit of the Spirit…”: the measure we love one another out of wholeness and holiness with a pure heart fervently. (NIV, Galatians 5:22, bold and italicized mine, see also 1 Peter 1:22)

And that’s the purpose of the feast of Tabernacles, the Philadelphia church age: to transform our lowly nature into the nature of Christ; to love one another with an everlasting love, not only strengthening and supporting one another in our pursuit of Christ, but a compelling sweet fragrance to those lost in darkness.

** LOOKING FORWARD **

Who we become, the nature formed over the journey of this life, is the nature we’ll be in the Millennium, for those who rule with Christ, and, for all those saved in Christ, the New Heavens and New Earth.

What Jesus pioneered was not salvation at a specific point in time, but salvation over a long journey of being made complete, fathered by God (NIV, Hebrews 5:7 – 10).

His journey likely lasted two decades where he became, not just born to be, but became, Savior, King, Lord, High Priest, and Prophet, fulfilling the stream of prophecies in the Old Testament of a coming Messiah.

God made salvation about “becoming,” and not an “act.”

A life held by grace through faith in obedience.

And becoming meant destroying the works of the flesh passed to him from his human ancestry; redeeming what his generations lost back to Adam.

And not only redeeming what was given away to the enemy, but completing perfectly, without sin, the journey Adam and Eve failed to complete.

Christ destroyed the works of the flesh passed to him from his human ancestry, without sin! redeeming his generations perfectly; becoming the substitute for all those who would come to him in the new birth.

He began his ministry as the “…Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (NIV, Isaiah 9:6, italicized mine)

He pioneered the change in sacrificial systems; from offering an animal, to a better covenant; the offering of one’s life in being made complete, by overcoming and putting sin to death to walk in new life (NIV, Romans 6:10).

A change, a new sacrificial system so unlike the Old, yet, fulfilling the heart of the Old, to heal and restore mankind from the fall back into the likeness of God.

Christ pioneered the new sacrificial system perfectly: fulfilling the desires of God’s heart, doing his “will” in overcoming sin completely, “made” one with him.

The depth, extent, and intensity, of the journey in being made one with the Father, putting to death generational transgressions and iniquities, can only be described in the most intimate of terms, a “blood,” sacrifice – the giving of one’s life to God.

It is the most intimate expression possible to convey the extent and depth of giving his life, rights, and privileges in being made one with the Father.

Christ shared his new life, resurrection life, “…an indestructible life.” for over three years with Israel. (NIV, Hebrews 7:16)

In his long journey of being made complete, he endured the sufferings of the cross; the restraining power of the Holy Spirit, being “made” utterly dependent upon God for healing and restoration from the effects of sins passed to him in the flesh.

He’s not just our Savior, but the one who pioneered salvation over a long journey – making it possible by his sweat and tears – the promised grace to come (NIV, 1 Peter 1:10).

In every sense of the word, Christ is truly our Savior.

He not only pioneered the path of salvation, becoming our atoning sacrifice before he entered ministry, but continued on that path to the very end: refusing to take up arms against those he came to save.

He gave them the one sign they demanded, Jonah, something they could relate to, having rejected the New Covenant in his blood (NIV, Matthew 26:28) for over three years.

He confirmed everything he said about himself in one of his last acts of ministry, i.e., Calvary.

Christ ministered to the unrepentant to the end, refusing to reject them as they him.

No, Calvary was not the start of salvation, or the place of an atoning sacrifice, but the unveiling of their sins on the marks of his body.

Christ fulfilled one stream of prophecies, and lawless men another.

One, the coming Messiah to heal and restore Israel, offering them the head of nations.

He fulfilled his part, the “making of the Messiah” and, the “offer of salvation” to the uttermost.

He refused to take up arms, which he could have righteously done.

And in his refusal to fight, to stay the course even if they kill him, they – lawless men – fulfilled a second stream of prophecies foretelling his rejection and death.

Creeds and traditions would have us believe there’s only one stream of prophecies, a ministry of healing and restoration, followed by God offering his Son as a human sacrifice for sin.

Christ made one new man out of his flesh, the first to destroy the barrier of sin preventing mankind from fulfilling the law in their flesh; Christ, the firstborn of the promised grace to come (NIV, 1 Peter 1:10-12).

He fulfilled the first stream of prophecies about the coming Messiah perfectly, a man of peace to the uttermost; refusing to undo the foundation he had laid over his ministry by taking up arms.

And in fulfilling the first stream of prophecies completely, he gave way to the deeds of those sold to sin.

By combining the two streams of prophecies as one, Christ’s pioneering journey of being made complete is lost in the shadow of Calvary.

Calvary was the rejection of the New Covenant, not the beginning.

God was not an angry God bent on sacrificing his Son on a Roman cross.

But he did sacrifice his Son to destroy sin, the sacrifice of a new and better covenant: by healing and restoring his Son, bringing death to sin by the power of the cross, fathered by God.

God created a more precious covenant centered in putting sin to death, so men and women could walk in newness of life, Christ being the first to cross into resurrection life, completely and perfectly.

God’s plan was for his one and only Son, “…born of a woman…” (NIV, Galatians 4:4), to destroy the powers of sin passed to him from his generations so he and others could drink from the well of eternal life.

God accomplished his plan for mankind’s salvation in the perfection of Christ before Christ entered ministry, and it was before his 40 days of “testing.”

God did his part in fulfilling all the Scriptures pointing to the coming Messiah through Christ perfectly and completely.

Israel had a choice, to accept or reject their Messiah, in either case, they would fulfill different streams of prophecies.

We, in the 21^st century, are at another crossroads of history.

Who will, and who will not, seek to enter the feast of Tabernacles, the greatest opportunity in human history presented to men and women?

****

There’s no magic wand at Heaven’s gate to change who we are when we knock on Heaven’s door (Revelation 22:11).

The fall from grace by Adam and Eve changed everything.

Yes! They lived in grace and were on a journey to being “made” complete, but failed their test of obedience.

The redemption from the fall by Christ – his victory over the enmity of his flesh, destroying the barrier between his flesh and the law (Ephesians 2:14-16, see an interlinear), – changed his story back to God’s original plan, and those who choose him and the journey he pioneered. 

Contrary to what is commonly taught, Adam and Eve were not created perfectly, but on a journey to be “made” perfect.

The human heart, mind, and will, and their functions and interactions in our body, soul, and spirit, were created to be “made” complete in relationship, not apart from relationship.

You cannot create faith, hope, and love; they are natures taught, inspired, cultivated, and matured, through journey and relationship with God and mankind.

It is through relationship we are made complete.

Where through journey, intimacy, and fellowship, we become “are made” one with the Father, through Christ.

God could’ve made robots to serve him, but he elected the higher way, created beings having the imprint of God with the choice to love or not.

Adam and Eve were on the journey, but tragically, they fell.

Even the angels had their “growing” season of choice.

There’s something about being made “complete” we do not understand as yet; where sin and disobedience are no longer issues in being made one with Christ.

Christ was the first to become everything the Father intended from the beginning and the measure for everyone else.

It isn’t your neighbor, co-worker, ancestors, relatives, father or mother, or best friend, it is Christ we will be measured against.

Those in Christ, having partaken of the new birth, and in pursuit of Christ, have every reason to have hope and vision for the future in Christ.

There will always be just one Jesus; one who finished the race perfectly without sin.

And because of his sacrifice and journey, he will have millions of sons and daughters at different levels of maturity in him.

But this age, the age of Philadelphia, is the offering of a lifetime.

An opportunity never presented to mankind on the scale it is today: to make a bride for the Son in the closing season of the Gospel dispensation.

Over the last 500 years the emphasis has been on the new birth and Pentecost, the first two feasts of the Christian pilgrimage.

But over the last number of decades, the shift began for the third and final feast, Tabernacles.

** “DECISION” or “TRANSFORMATION” **

In general, Christendom’s go to method to effect change in one’s life is to “make decisions” for Christ.

That transformation will come through a long series of making decisions.

It’s akin, in a broad way, to evolutionary humanism.

Making decisions in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit will bring about change, but “in and of themselves,” they fall short of the glory of God in transformation: the work of grace by the creative power of the Holy Spirit to heal and restore our natures into the nature of Christ.

We are not our own stewards.

Only Jesus can work the work of salvation in our lives.

And it takes intimacy and connection in him for the deep work of the Spirit to be initiated and completed.

We need him in everything we desire and do.

He’s our Savior, not our decisions.

If making decisions were the means to healing and restoration then we wouldn’t need Christ.

Jesus didn’t die to sin so we could “make decisions” to be like him.

He died to sin to “make us” in his likeness through transformation: to live and dwell in the earthly temples of the sons and daughters he purchased.

A lot of this thinking “making decisions,” as the path to Christ likeness, comes from the misunderstanding of the Scriptures concerning Christ, his journey, Calvary, and his ministry.

Pointing the Scriptures describing his journey to Calvary has made salvation a one – time event, and, in the process, emasculating Christ: making him a “model” of Christianity.

It strips the Scripture of the journey he underwent – the long, hard, difficult, and challenging journey, spiritual warfare and all, in being made perfect before he began his ministry.

The fight for his life has been stripped from our understanding because it’s all about Calvary, and not his completion (Romans Chapters 5 and 6; Galatians Chapter 3; Ephesians Chapter 2; 1 Corinthians Chapter 15; Philippians Chapter 2; Hebrews 5:7-10, and the great weight and body of the NT).

Jesus said, “‘From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.’” (NIV, Matthew 11:12)

Making decisions for Christ may bring remedy for some low hanging bad fruit, but it will not make you a spiritual warrior fighting deeply rooted transgressions and inequities in yourself or in others.

It will not prepare you to be used by Christ in offering healing and restoration to those trapped in darkness and held bondage to sin.

I hope you understand the heart of what I’m trying to convey; this is about being made one with Christ so what you see Christ do, you do, no more, no less.

Christ is our warrior who saves and rescues us from the depths of sin and the power of darkness; it is through his rescue we learn how to yield to the Holy Spirit in healing and restoration.

Christ desires to effect change in our lives by directly and intimately fathering you and me, by grace through the building of our faith, in confidence and trust, transforming us by the creative power of God from glory to glory.

Transformation is not about using an escalator to go higher (deeper) in Christ.

But by climbing a mountain roped to Christ.

Transformation “wounds and pierces” the structures of sin in one’s life: exposing wounds and the structures of sin feeding off them; opening up one’s “sores” and what is “practiced” to protect them by the light and conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Only the Holy Spirit can clean, heal, and restore the deeply rooted wounds and brokenness in the secret and hidden places of your life and mine.

Making decisions for Christ can become more about us trying to save ourselves through the works of the flesh, than about the Holy Spirit’s revelation of the deep things in our lives so desperately in need of healing and restoration.

Making decisions for Christ in many situations places us in the driver seat attempting to diagnose our problems using over-the-counter remedies as a solution.

Only Christ can properly diagnose and prescribe the medication we need for the sins that are intent on destroying you and me.

Our mind is not our Savior, but our heart and mind response to the conviction and saving power of the Holy Spirit, by grace through faith.

And many, many times, Jesus comes and intervenes, rescuing you and me without even our involvement – he just comes to the rescue.

We are transformed from glory to glory not by making decisions, but the dynamic, creative power of the Holy Spirit (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

The feast of Tabernacles is a paradigm shift from the new birth and Pentecost: from “doing” to “becoming” – the miracle power of God bringing death to sin, ushering his sons and daughters into resurrection life (Romans 8:10-11).

Salvation, transformation and sanctification, are dynamic changes that occur by the power of the Holy Spirit, at specific junctions in time, weaving the fabric of Christ in our lives – the impartation of the new creation.

And the closer we get to the end-times, the quicker transformation will come, and yet, in the gentle love and care of the Lord.

The Lord will provide time for our hearts and minds to receive and grow in the midst of dynamic change.

Nonetheless, the ways of the new birth and Pentecost in centuries past will give way to the dynamics of the feast of Tabernacles as it is more fully revealed in the days and years ahead.

God will heal and restore orphan hearts deeply and quickly, and with that, the mistrust and fear of God.

Fathering will once again be restored to the Church, to those who desire the deep things of God and intimacy with Christ and with one another.

Christ will return “as the way,” into the journey and adventure he pioneered, becoming our Savior experientially, not just legally.

He will truly become our Savior, our intimate counselor, father, over the long journey of being made one with him from glory to glory in relationship and suffering.

He will not only be our Savior, but the lover of our soul: being known, and knowing.

The teaching Calvary is synonymous with salvation erases decades of being made perfect as the author of salvation:

“‘…the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” was the Lamb, then and there! presented to John at the river Jordan and revealed to Israel for over three years in “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” (NIV, John 1:29 and Hebrews 2:4 and Acts 2:22)

Jesus was the lamb when he began ministry, not when he ended it.

The “lamb,” Christ, had already been sacrificed in being made perfect, a better sacrifice in a better covenant: the sacrifice of his life in being healed and restored from generational transgressions and inequities, redeeming his generations, and everyone found in him.

Transformed by the creative power of God by grace through faith, the journey Christ pioneered, develops confidence and trust in the Father, leading us into his kindness, repentance and forgiveness.

If you cut the story of Christ’s journey, erroneously and forcibly make it all about Calvary, you gut the Scriptures of their weight, emasculate Christ, and emasculate those in Christ from the power of God to bring salvation through transformation, starting with Christ.

And that’s where Christendom by and large is, stuck in Pentecost, having no vision of Tabernacles, ripe for the Great Falling Away.

Thus, the necessity of the revelation of the feast of Tabernacles in the last days: to be fathered by God into the deep things of his Spirit in the revelation of Christ by grace (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13).

Tabernacles is the intense journey of being fathered by God, putting away sin, restoring relationship with God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It’s the journey of being made one with the Father.

The “truth” points us to the “way” and the way brings us into “life.” (NIV, John 14:6)

Without the understanding of the truth of Christ’s journey, God’s sons and daughters are trapped on the other side of Jordan, when they should be in the land of milk and honey.

The barley and grain harvests, the new birth and Pentecost, are cut off from being grafted into Christ, and transformed into the harvest of summer fruits, nuts, and olives.

The feast of Tabernacles is here, now, through the open door (NIV, Revelation 3:8).

We’re at the beginning stages.

The door is going to be “flung wide open” for many in the years ahead.

Those who are hungry for more of Christ will find themselves ushered into the deep waters of the Spirit in the revelation of him.

Important – The Rapture

For those who do their part to prepare for the deep work of the Spirit (e.g., Matthew 25:4, 25:16), and, are brought into the deep work of grace “made ready” by the Lord (e.g., Matthew 25:10, 25:21, Revelation 3:7-13), the end – time rapture will occur for those who come to a place of consuming love for him.

The rapture will be for those who are “raptured” for Christ; the Philadelphians who complete the feast of Tabernacles, symbolically, the summer fruit harvest,

Those who have an unquenchable passion to be with their bridegroom, will find Heaven’s door open to them, when the work of God is complete, and escaping from the sword of evil is imperative.

Contrary to what’s been commonly taught over the airwaves of America, the rapture is not “an all at one time” mass exodus of Christians to Heaven.

The rapture is not something on one’s bucket list to check off.

It’s not a specific calendar date, a one stop all event, like we’ve been taught about Calvary.

Our salvation is about intimacy and connection with Christ and not a specific timetable and point of departure.

Just like Tabernacles is an individual journey, the growing and maturing of the bride by the transforming power of the Spirit, so to the rapture.

As sons and daughters come to fullness, completing their respective journeys and ministries, the Lord will take them home like Enoch, Moses, Elijah, Paul (2 Timothy 4:6), Peter (2 Peter 1:14), and who knows how many others.

The rapture is about relationship and coming to fullness in Christ, which happens on a one – on – one basis in intimacy with him.

It’s not a specific calendar event, but an event birthed out of relationship.

The loss of the knowledge of Christ’s journey has impacted much of the teaching of Scripture including the teaching of what is referred to as the rapture.

Creeds and traditions nicely wrap beliefs in well-defined teachings and descriptions, and just like Calvary, the rapture is part of the package.

The Scripture warns about teachings appeasing the carnal nature, giving people what they want to hear, instead of what they need to hear to prepare – a vision to apprehend.

Creeds and traditions make it “about us,” instead of about Christ.

The rapture is not a date, but the result of a relationship in a time of coming great peril.

We do not know over how many years the rapture will span for those who come to fullness, but it will not be the “graduating,” class event commonly taught.

The end – time rapture will occur within one generation – meaning, the “generations” alive at the time of the end – time revival and its aftermath.

And it will occur individually in relationship with Christ.

But before that, we must receive the journey Christ pioneered, Ephesians 4:21-24.

****

What Jesus said “to do” or “not do” cannot be done outside of intimacy with him.

He must be the source of all we decide and do.

And for that to happen we must be transformed, the journey beyond the new birth and Pentecost.

Adam and Eve failed in attempting to obey God’s command because they did not “turn” to God in their time of weakness; when weakness meets temptation, God’s command cannot be obeyed without him.

And this is something we learn over time by grace through faith.

It’s not a matter of “decision,” but being transformed into a new way of life, resurrection life, where Christ is our master, not sin.

Adam and Eve did not seek God in the time of their hunger, choosing to satisfy their pain for fulfillment by their own hands.

The promised grace to come leads you and me into intimacy with Christ, to seek fulfillment in Christ, in the “…new way of the Spirit…” not in the practiced way of the lower nature. (NIV, Romans 7:6)

Whether saved or unsaved (those outside of Tabernacles), our strength has come from the practiced way of living we’ve come to depend on.

Only the transforming power of Christ can wound and pierce what generations gave us, and, what we ourselves have entered into.

And transformation requires being grafted into Christ.

And that requires being chosen by the Lord for the deep work of the Spirit, the feast of Tabernacles, the “taking” in Matthew 24, the return of the bridegroom in Matthew 25, and the return of the master in the same chapter.

Only by being grafted into Christ can one hope to receive a new nature, “‘…new wine into new wineskins.’” (NIV, Mark 2:22)

** TRUTH AND GRACE **

How does new understanding translate to having a deeper and more intimate relationship with Christ?

Because, as we know, it’s not intellectual knowledge, or a life of good works, but the living Christ, the Lord Jesus, who saves us.

It’s not only grace that saves us, but truth married to grace in the person of Christ.

And Christ is the fullness of grace and truth (NIV, John 1:14): grace and truth wrought in him by the baptismal fires of the Holy Spirit over the long journey known as Tabernacles, for us, the age of Philadelphia.

As James says about truth, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” (NIV, James 1:21)

And Paul, speaking about Christ’s personal journey, i.e., “…the deep truths of the faith…” (NIV, 1 Timothy, 3:9), says in Ephesians,

“…when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (NIV, 4:21-24)

(Ephesians is the same letter where Paul speaks of Christ having enmity in his flesh, destroying the barrier, fulfilling the law in his flesh, made whole and holy, one new man out of the two, i.e., the law and the flesh.)

The author of Hebrews, speaking about truth, said, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (NIV, Hebrews 4:12)

Paul, speaking of the Word, the power to change our lives, said, “…when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.” (NIV, 1 Thessalonians 2:13)

And speaking about our Christian pilgrimage, being made sons and daughters of God in wholeness and holiness, Paul said,

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? (NIV, Romans 10:14-15)

Peter, speaking of grace in the revelation of Christ to our wounds and sins, said, “…set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13)

Note:

The “coming” is not the second coming of Christ, but his coming, appearing, revealing, etc., to bring healing and restoration: bringing death to sin and the way its practiced, and life to us, the “judgment” of Christ.

His grace holds us in the process of being cleansed and healed by the conviction and transforming power of the Holy Spirit as he “turns” us to him so we’ll be turned, changed, transformed, restored (Lamentations 5:21).

The Scripture most Christians are familiar with about grace is Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” (NIV)

And yet, we know, it’s not just grace that saves us – the provision of God’s acceptance, love, and care, extended to us in mercy as sinners – but the active participation of our heart and mind in obedience by faith, for Scripture says,

“…faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (NIV, Romans 10:17)

And it also says, “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (NIV, Philippians 2:12-13)

And, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (NIV, Hebrews 11:1)

Grace and truth are the goodness and kindness of God to come in the person of Christ, inviting wounded and broken men and women, “saved and unsaved,” into wholeness and holiness by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Important

Grace and truth open the door to understanding the plan and purposes of God; to learn how to receive and exercise confidence and trust, i.e., “faith,” as we co – labor with Christ in being restored into relationship with God.

“Understanding” – the knowledge of Christ; who he is; who he became; and the journey of becoming – is part of the fuel for our “active and living faith.”

Faith seeing the promises of God in his Word “yet” to be apprehended in this life, and, in Christendom at large.

Faith sees Christ as the firstborn and pioneer of the faith – the open invitation to seek the path he pioneered for you and me.

Understanding matters, it matters greatly.

It fuels faith to seek Christ for everything he has to offer, which is unimaginable.

Revelatory understanding is compelling; drawing one by the Spirit to seek the promises of God, today, not tomorrow, to be sought today!

Faith sees by the eye of the Spirit the work of Christ today in cleansing and healing his sons and daughters in anticipation and expectancy of what he has planned ahead in accord with his Word.

Without understanding, faith lacks the fuel to stay alive, eventually dying on the vine; losing hope in Christ, and the promises of God.

For the Scripture says, “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” (NIV, Proverbs 29:18)

It also says, “‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.

For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.’” (NIV, Habakkuk 2:2-3)

In the days ahead, many will find themselves ill-equipped and unprepared to face the coming waves of darkness without an understanding of the promises of God, church ages, and the path Christ pioneered.

The best Christendom can offer, in the absence of pursuing Tabernacles, is “to hold the fort,” hoping to somehow endure whatever comes.

Tragically, the “hold your fort theology,” does not bode well as we see in Revelation Chapters 12 and 13, and other New Testament writings.

Those who did not pursue the deep things of Christ, who enter the end – times, will find themselves insufficient to weather the coming onslaught of darkness on a scale never before seen.

It’s already here in a measure, but a greater measure is yet to come.

Many will find themselves either giving up, slowly, through loss of heart and appetite for Christ, or find themselves ushered in to the Great Tribulation once making the bride becomes out of “time” and “reach.”

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” (NIV, Ephesians 5:15-17)

We, unlike past generations, have at our fingertips access to the Word of God and treasures held in thousands of writings God has given men and women as inspiration to discover and search him out.

We of all generations, have access to the treasures of Christ like never before, not only in what has been written, but also in what has been promised in the closing seasons of the Gospel age.

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” (NIV, Romans 15:4)

How can we please the Lord if we’re filled to overflowing with scriptural facts and figures, but lack the “truth” of Scripture, the understanding of the age we live, and, the work of the Spirit restoring men and women into the likeness of Christ?

“Live as children of light… And find out what pleases the Lord. (NIV, Ephesians 5:8-10)

“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit – taught words.” (NIV, 1 Corinthians 2:13)

** NOTHING ELSE COMES CLOSE, AN INGENIOUS PLAN **

Words are insufficient to describe God’s masterful plan to make men and women, who have sold themselves to sin and everything this world has to offer, into the likeness of Christ.

What an ingenious plan God presents to us in Christ.

In different seasons of a person’s life, and in different seasons of the body of Christ, particularly New Covenant Christians, different “ages” are offered to reflect the beauty of God’s Word expedient for that period of time.

What an amazing book the Bible, and the offer it holds in connecting us with the person of Christ.

By the revelation of the Spirit, it is the key that unlocks the discovery of the plan and purposes of God in Christ.

It’s an interlocking connection of truths giving different perspectives from different angles in different seasons of history confirming and testifying over and over again the authenticity and reliability of the Word of God.

While paleontologists and others search the earth and universe for answers, we hold in our hands the greatest treasure given to man in book form, the Scriptures.

It’s a tightly woven cloth knitted together by God and man.

It holds the greatest gems and jewels a man or woman can ever find.

There are corporate truths, dispensational truths, and layers of truths within dispensations down to the individual, and specific truths, i.e., the revelation of Christ God reveals at a specific point in time in an individual’s life.

For example, there are specific truths the Lord brings to attention in each of the seven church ages.

At a more detailed level, an individual, the Lord addresses the same church age (the seven churches of Revelation), but this time through Paul in his letters to the churches.

In some respects, Paul’s letters are more intimate and personal, and in other respects, Christ’s letters are.

If the Lord can’t reach our hearts through one reflection of his beauty, for example church ages, he’ll try to reach us through another reflection, Paul’s letters, or through parables, like the seven parables in Matthew Chapter 13, which follow the pattern of truths of the others.

For example, the theme of Christ’s letter to Thyatira, the fourth age, is similar to Paul’s letter to the Galatians, his fourth letter to the churches (in Bible placement, not placed there as a coincidence!), and the fourth parable of Matthew 13.

Note:

It’s noted by those who’ve gone before us how the seven parables of Matthew 13 mirror the seven church ages from a different perspective.

And how Paul’s nine letters to the churches (the last two letters symbolically representing the Church on the threshold of the Tribulation), picture the similar pattern found in the seven church ages and the seven parables.

No human or groups of humans spanning decades and centuries could ever in one’s wildest imagination put together the truths in the Bible that span some 1500 years of writing history so accurate in foretelling the future.

Paleontologists and others, tirelessly search the past trying to figure out the present, hoping God is a lie and human evolution a truth.

We, on the other hand, do not need to tirelessly search the past; for the past is confirmed by prophetic fulfillment in the present.

And the future is confirmed because of the work of the Spirit presently, in preparing, for what’s about to unfold in the world and church.

There’s no place to run and hide – the Scriptures confirm the past, the present, and the future, no matter what time frame one finds themselves in the calendar of God.

Only God could weave together such a compelling and intimate story foretold two millenniums ago, and earlier.

****

Paul’s letter to the Church of Galatia and Christ’s letter to the Church of Thyatira speak to a consistent theme of sin coming to another fullness, in the absence of intimacy with Christ by grace through faith.

Both represent the Church and individuals in the darkest hour of their pilgrimage to date.

And the fourth parable of Christ speaks of false doctrine kneaded throughout the bread fed to the saints of God.

Both the Galatians and those of Thyatira attempt to gain Christ through the works of the flesh bringing warnings from Paul and Christ.

Similarly, the fourth parable of Matthew 13 represents the darkest state of the Church where yeast (false teaching) has so embraced the Church it is indistinguishable to what is being served to God’s people.

Only God could create for discovery in parables, letters, and ages, a picture of man and woman’s progression in pursuing relationship with Christ over two millenniums, in a story line captured from different vantage points showing different perspectives, but the same theme.

And within these letters and parables, are layers upon layers of truth needed to understand the layers of lies that grow, multiply, and intensify if left unattended and unhealed.

It’s not a coincidence the age of Philadelphia, the sixth church age, the return of the feast of Tabernacles, i.e., the deep work of the Spirit in cleansing and healing, and, the greatest work of the Spirit, will face the darkest hour in human history.

Similarly, Philippians, the counterpart in Paul’s letters, is the culmination of the Christian pilgrimage, the high watermark of the feast of Tabernacles, being made one in Christ, apprehending Christ for what he apprehended us for.

And similarly, the pearl of great price, the sixth parable, is the counterpart from still another perspective.

The deep revelation of truth in the last days is necessary to unveil the deep fortress of lies buried in the wounds and brokenness of God’s sons and daughters.

Understanding the journey of Christ is critical to fully appreciate what God is doing in his sons and daughters in acquainting them with the sufferings of Christ in putting sin to death.

** IT’S TIME to RESPOND to GOD for a DEEPER RELAITONSHIP **

Understanding the plan and purposes of God has always been critical in walking with Christ.

The great news: it’s not dependent on our intellectual prowess and ability – but, the heart who wants God in spite of their sins and messy life; who is looking and seeking Christ for rescue and remedy.

Understanding is not based on a head knowledge, but a heart knowledge, Jesus loves me and desires to make me whole and holy, and all he asks for is joint pursuit.

And what’s wonderful about Christ, if we don’t feel like pursuing him, for whatever reasons, he’ll pursue us and do whatever he can without violating our space to inspire and stimulate our hearts toward him.

The more Jesus is able to write his Word in our heart and mind, and the more we eat of this Word and draw life from his Spirit, the more he has to work with, and, the better we’re prepared to receive what he has for us.

As Paul says in Philippians, “…but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (NIV, Philippians 3:12)

We certainly cannot press forward if we don’t know what to press forward for, for lack of inspiration, cultivation, and vision for the deep waters of God.

The revelation and vision of God for our lives is not the promise of his second coming, the promise of the rapture, or the promise of an end – time revival in the last days.

But the birthing and forming of Christ in your life and mine – the making of the new creation – what Peter called “…grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13, italicized mine)

One is at great peril to not know the Church is in the latter times of Philadelphia and Laodicea, ages with the greatest promises and greatest peril.

And that Philadelphia is the last opportunity to be made a part of the bride, being joined to him in the journey he pioneered.

It is highly likely a great revival is on the horizon, and an increasing falling away.

And it is highly likely many will come into the faith in the future while many turn away.

And it is highly likely some will “come to maturity,” within a relatively short period of time, that Christ will do a quick work because the time is short.

The question for many: Will they be leaders or newcomers when the Spirit comes in power and demonstration?

The Gap in Understanding Revealed

Much has been written about Christ and Calvary.

And much has been written about Christ in ministry and his temptation in the wilderness facing the frailty of his flesh and the power of darkness.

And much has been written on Christ and his birth, the momentous occasion and announcement of his coming and what it would bring to mankind.

And of course, much has been written on the streams of prophecies coming from the Old Testament, one, proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, when he would come, under what circumstances and kingdom, what he would do to bring healing and restoration, and, two, how he would be rejected and killed.

And after his rejection, he would be raised from the dead, followed by a long absence until his second coming and the ushering in of the Millennium, eventually culminating in the New Heaven and Earth.

But there’s a huge purported “gap” of knowledge missing between the years we find Christ as a young boy, and his presentation to John the Baptist at the river Jordan.

And also, a huge purported “gap” of knowledge missing between his first coming, and his return near the end of the Tribulation: church teaching focused on Christ’s first appearance, and his physical return, with little mention of the Ministry of Christ over the two millennial Gospel age in between.

Creeds and traditions created the first gap by pointing the great weight of New Testament writings to Calvary, instead of his personal journey, substituting doctrines of belief for intimacy and relationship.

And the first gap led to the second: Scriptures about his “coming,” were pointed to his physical return, instead of his “coming” to take his sons and daughters personally and intimately into the journey of Tabernacles he pioneered.

The first gap, the so-called silent years, Christ’s personal journey, is the most consequential to mankind: the atoning work of Christ made through his perfection, the putting of sin to death, raised to walk in new life (NIV, Romans 6:10, 1 Corinthians 15:20, Hebrews 5:7-10, 1 Peter 3:18, etc.).

And the second gap, the two-millennial semi-silent years, i.e., “fathering from a distance, lack of intimate involvement in the body,” is the most consequential to the Church today.

The first gap has to do with Christ’s personal journey, the one he pioneered, and the second gap, the Gospel age, is the time he’s allotted to take his sons and daughters into the journey he pioneered.

The lack of understanding the journey Christ pioneered, instituted by creeds and traditions, has led to the burial of his journey, and the burial of the journey for his sons and daughters in the Gospel age.

Though the enemy has been successful through creeds and traditions in hiding the story of Christ for some 1700 years, he wasn’t successful in wiping it out.

Because the age of Philadelphia is here, Christ’s intimacy with his sons and daughters, coming into even greater fullness in the days and years ahead.

In the dark ages it was not imperative to know the story of Christ, being born – again was a major milestone.

In the return of the new birth ushered in by Luther in the 1500s, it was not imperative for God’s sons and daughters to know the story of Christ.

The Church was not in a position nor had the resources to take advantage of understanding, and knowing, the story of Christ.

It had fallen much too far, needing milk, and not strong meat.

And in the return of Pentecost in the early 1900s, it was not imperative for God’s sons and daughters to know the story of Christ.

Again, the Church was not in a position nor had the resources to take advantage of understanding, and knowing, the story of Christ.

It was still climbing out of the pit it had fallen into centuries earlier, still bound by the great weight of creeds and traditions.

But the story is different in the 21^st century.

Almost everything is in place for Christ to finally gain the fruit of his hard labor: ushering sons and daughters into the deep work of grace in the last days; to unleash the fullness of Tabernacles to those who desire the deep things of God.

Christ has not been asleep, fathering from a distance, but actively and intensely laboring among men and women over the last two millenniums to bring the body of Christ to a place where it has the resources and understanding to embark on his pioneering journey.

He’s labored generation by generation, heart by heart, to prepare men and women for the adventure and journey of being made one with him.

The prayers of Christ are being answered.

Christ’s prophecies through parables, ages, and letters, of sons and daughters coming to fullness at the end of Gospel dispensation is beginning to come to pass.

Someday, the true millennial’s, those born after the physical return of Christ, and, Christians ruling and reigning with him in the Millennium, will look back and see the rubble of the fallen kingdom of this world just like we look back today.

People gaze at the rubble of the fallen kingdoms of Rome, Greece, Persia, Egypt, and the little that remains of Babylon and Assyria.

Someday, it’s not as far off as some think, or as immediate as some would like, millions will behold the rubble and debris of the seventh world kingdom.

God’s plan set forth in creation, though it appears to linger to those in the midst of change and transformation, has always come to pass in its appointed season as God foretold in the beginning.

The enemy has been clever to make Christ, as much as possible, an historical figure on the one hand, and a prophetic figure on the other, and in doing so, keeping him from the present.

We love to hear about all the things Jesus did in the past, and all the things Jesus is going to do at his physical return.

But, most importantly, there lacks an understanding of the specific work of Christ now: his present labor to bring to pass “completed” sons and daughters, in him, through the journey he pioneered.

Jesus is not just an historical and prophetic figure, but the Messiah today, in the 21^st century, laboring with men and women to transform the wise, and faithful who multiply, into his likeness, the bride of Christ.

Calvary was not the end of Christ’s “first coming,” but a continuation of his ministry, now from the shores of Heaven instead of the sands of earth.

The “second coming,” of Christ near the end of the Tribulation is a continuation of the grace and love of God in the most horrible of situations bringing one age to an end, and the ushering in of another.

Today, Christ is “entering” many through the open door of Philadelphia; the last great work of God to be accomplished in the hearts and lives of God’s sons and daughters before this age comes to an end.

The promises for the “Philadelphians” are the greatest promises offered in the New Covenant.

** THE NEXT WAVE **

This section is critically important to understand.

Just because we’re not experiencing something that’s been foretold, and yet, seems to linger, even generation after generation, does not mean it will not happen.

On the contrary, it means God is giving maximum time for preparation.

And some believe today we’re in extra overtime.

What I’m talking about are the promises of God, a great ingathering in the last days for many souls to come into the Kingdom before transition is set in motion for the end of this age.

An “end of the age revival” is prefigured in Old Testament types, and New Testament promises: parables (Matthew Chapters 13 and 25), letters (1 Thessalonians and other Scriptures on the rapture), and in Revelation Chapters 3 and 12.

Inherent in the knowledge of the rapture, is the knowledge it is the final fruit of an outpouring and revival on the threshold of the Tribulation.

In the end-times, you cannot have one without the other.

Who goes in the rapture is another matter.

The culmination of the Philadelphia church age “is” a revival – a final series of outreaches to the lost as the “two millennium Gospel dispensation to the Gentiles,” comes to a close.

And revivals do not come without extensive preparation by the Lord preparing as many as possible in advance as forerunners.

Presently revival is happening individually, the baby in the womb of the Church, Revelation 12.

But it will become public once it’s birthed and fully matured.

Many are being prepared through the deep work of grace in the revelation of Christ (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13).

Three Streams

There are three major streams of prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.

First, his coming, preparation, and “saving and healing” ministry; offering Israel the opportunity to usher in the Millennium with Christ as their head.

His ministry is largely the storyline of the four Gospels.

His preparation – being made perfect, becoming the atoning sacrifice and author of salvation – is largely the storyline, the great weight of writings, outside the Gospels in the New Testament.

Second, there’s another stream of prophecies foretelling his rejection, killing, and resurrection from physical death.

This is a second, smaller storyline, running parallel to his ministry in the Gospels, and also spoken a number of times in the book of Acts.

And of course, there’s a third stream of prophecies of his continued ministry after being raised from physical death in the age of the Gentiles, followed by the Millennium, and the New Heaven and Earth.

It’s All Coming Together

Today, we’re nearing the tail end of the age of the Gentiles, about to enter in earnest the last opportunity in this age, Tabernacles (Philadelphia), the third and final feast of the Old Testament fulfilled in the New.

There’s a grand plan at work in the kingdom of God, from century to century, and millennium to millennium, to prepare from each church age a bride for the Son.

But, the work in the last days is the most comprehensive, deep, and intense work of the Spirit yet to come, because of the vast resources the Lord has prepared, and the ready access to those resources in the age we live.

The deliverance, counseling, and inner healing movements and their offshoots have been, and are being used by the Lord to help prepare the wise virgins, those who are faithful to multiply, for the deep work of grace in Tabernacles.

The Lord is preparing barley and wheat Christians (i.e., born-again and spirit filled), to be grafted into the tree of life, transformed from grain to “fruit bearing,” Christians, the summer fruit harvest of Tabernacles.

The heart of the New Testament is the transformation process of the feast of Tabernacles, to be changed from glory to glory into the likeness of Christ (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

This was the heart of Christ’s journey, fathered by God: putting transgressions and iniquities to death passed to him from his human ancestry, raised to walk in newness of life (NIV, Romans 6:10, 1 Corinthians 15:20, Hebrews 5:7-10, 1 Peter 3:18, etc.), and, critically important, the heart of our journey.

The great weight of New Testament writings outside of the Gospels is about his journey.

This is the next wave coming to the body of Christ.

The next big wave of revival to crash ashore will be the feast of Tabernacles.

Many are experiencing Tabernacles now in preparation to help the many in the years ahead.

And what took long in the past will be done quicker in the future, because the hour is late.

If you want to be connected with Christ in deep intimacy, then Tabernacles is the journey you must take.

And the journey is only possible by initiation and invitation of the Lord.

The many movements today, fathering, inner healing, and the like, are the Lord’s means of initiating sons and daughters to see which ones will be wise and faithful to be chosen for the deep work of the Spirit.

Only 300 out of thousands ended up being Gideon’s army.

And David was limited to his hundreds as he journeyed for over 15 years fleeing the sword of Saul, little knowing he was being prepared for greatness – possession of the Ark.

These and other stories help to connect us to Christ, the journey he pioneered; the first one to experience the fullness of Tabernacles, completing the journey without sin, becoming our Savior.

Peter was the first of the disciples (John 21:18), to be ushered into the fullness of Tabernacles.

Note:

John 21:18 is commonly misunderstood because Old Covenant teaching has been superimposed on New Covenant truths because of the institution of creeds.

The death in reference to Peter in John 21 is not about Peter being martyred, for obvious reasons.

The conversation of “martyrdom” for his disciples would be the farthest thing from Christ’s heart and mind considering what he just went through, and what Peter and the others just experienced.

These passages in John 21 are referring to the journey of bringing death to sin to walk in newness of life, resurrection life, the plan and purposes of God of healing and restoration, not death and martyrdom.

I refer you to Part 5 of my “A Peculiar People” series.

The heart of the New Testament, what Christ died to sin for, and later physically giving his life, is cleansing and healing of wounds and brokenness; death to sin, to birth forth spiritual life.

****

Christ can only be known intimately through personal journey with him.

The Gospel is all about Christ, and our salvation is all about him, not events, and certainly, not lawless men and women.

It’s all about relationship with Christ, transformation – healing and restoration – through dynamic change and journey with him.

Ministry from the greatest to lowest, whether apostle or teacher, and all the like, do not create intimacy with Christ.

Only Christ can create intimacy with you and me.

There’s been a small “summer fruit harvest,” of individuals here and there throughout the Gospel age.

But there’s coming a final summer fruit harvest of all kinds of differing fruits, nuts, and olives, at the most opportune time for God’s children, in one of the darkest times the earth has ever beheld.

The age of Philadelphia has been reserved for the largest harvest; having the greatest impact, setting in motion the destruction of the seventh world kingdom and the physical return of Christ.

Finally, if you want to understand more of the last days, a starter would be to inquire of the Lord the understanding of the seven parables of Matthew 13, Paul’s nine letters to the churches, and Christ’s seven letters, and how they show the beauty of the plan of God from different perspectives and angles.

They mirror each other in certain respects, our journey, the creation account, and the last six millenniums of Bible history.

Another brief example, the fifth church age in Revelation, Sardis, is comparable to Paul’s fifth letter to the churches, Ephesians, and to the fifth parable of Matthew Chapter 13, the treasure hidden in a field (NIV).

And we find Christ calling his sons and daughters in each of Paul’s letters to the churches into the deep work the Spirit, i.e., Tabernacles, even in 1 and 2 Thessalonians, which represents, in our day, those on the threshold of the Tribulation.

The call of Christ into the journey of healing and restoration, Tabernacles, is also recorded in the Gospels and in the other writings of the New Testament.

** THE CALL to TABERNACLES **

It is in journey we form “like-minds,” and “like-hearts,” knowing and being known.

Personal relationship is developed on a one-on-one basis in journey, and not from a specific event at a specific point in time.

Salvation is not an event, but a journey with Christ, by the power of the Spirit, to complete Christ in you and me.

Being born-again is an invitation to relationship.

Being baptized in the Spirit is a further invitation.

But neither of them is the destination, but the beginning of the path to knowing and being known by the Lord.

And deep intimacy, sharing in his sufferings – the sufferings of putting sin to death – can only be accomplished in journey with him in healing and restoration.

Creeds have so distorted Christ’s story most see him as a human sacrifice; not as the pioneer of the faith in being “made” like him (1 Peter 1:13).

A great scholar or theologian, anyone, can easily miss intimacy with Christ if they believe him to be a one-stop event.

Intimacy comes from the revelation of Christ by Christ in the deep waters of the Holy Spirit, Tabernacles; where deep wounds and brokenness are healed (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

It is out of journey with Christ faith, hope, and love become a part of our nature.

The journey of putting away the Old nature, dying to sin to walk in newness of life, is the path to confidence and trust in Christ, the foundation of faith.

And faith seated in grace, is the foundation for hope – the hope to see by the eye of the Spirit the promises of God as real, as real as the morning sun, for the here and now.

And hope, seated on faith and grace – looking forward, a “turning toward the Lord by the Lord,” in anticipation and expectant of what God has promised to do – is the foundation for intimate love with the person of Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And love for Christ in connection and union with him can only come about through healing and restoration, knowing, and being known.

It’s the journey of being made one with Christ and the Father.

Broadly, one can liken the journey from faith to hope, and hope to love, to the Christian pilgrimage, from being born-again, baptized in the Spirit, and healing and restoration.

Beginning “faith” may be likened to the Outer Court experience, “the New birth,” entering the Kingdom of God.

And beginning “hope” to the Holy Place, the baptism of the Spirit; where years of “teaching, learning, and observing,” begins to connects one’s heart to the vastness of the Kingdom of God, his plans and purposes, and promises yet to be fulfilled.

And then, of course, beginning “love” may be likened to the Holy of Holies, i.e., the Most Holy Place, the beginning of being made one with Christ and the Father.

The Most Holy Place, fulfilled in the person of Christ, comes to you and me in the revelation of the Lord Jesus by grace (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13), the long journey of Tabernacles, pouring new wine in new wineskins (NIV, Matthew 9:17).

It’s the long journey of putting sin to death to walk in newness of life (NIV, Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 7:1), cleansed, healed, and restored from our wounds and brokenness.

So, we can, as Peter says, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.” (NIV, 1 Peter 1:22)  

And immediately preceding this verse, Peter said, “Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” (NIV, 1 Peter 1:21, italicized is mine)

*The raising of Christ is not the raising after Calvary, but the raising from mortality to immortality, resurrection life, his first glorification (John 12), having died to sin (NIV, Romans 6:10), becoming our lamb substitute in his perfection (Hebrews 5:7-10), “…made alive in the Spirit.” (NIV, 1 Peter 3:18, italicized mine, plus also see Romans 8:10-11)

Peter in Acts 2:31-32, in short, says, (see an interlinear), God raised this Jesus, the resurrected Jesus, to life (his second glorification, John 12:28, see an interlinear).

More on God’s Revealed Plan for Christ Likeness

The evidence and testimony of God’s plan is revealed over and over again in history and his Word, in patterns, sequences, and creation, that none need err.

The Bible is not a haphazard aggregation of writings, events, and prophecies, but a deliberate and meticulous plan designed by God to redeem the lost – to make them into his likeness “through Christ, through journey.”

His plans and purposes are clearly evident in history, and now: in the moving of his Holy Spirit, confirming his Word in what he’s presently doing in the body of Christ.

We are not just left with the testimony of his Word in the past, but the testimony of his Word in the present through the works of the Spirit.

God is confirming the age of Philadelphia, by doing the works of Philadelphia, testifying to the season of time we live.

He has not left us fatherless and aimless.

Simply, we know where we’re at in Scripture by what God is doing, and the revelation of his Word in our individual lives.

We live in a time of discovery, of the Word and working of God, like never before, even for Paul, for we have the completed book and the completed work in progress right before our eyes.

As previously noted, the parables, Paul’s letters, and the church ages of Revelation, not only give a picture of the body of Christ in different seasons, but also, broadly speaking, an individual’s Christian pilgrimage.

Briefly, the first four parables, the first four of Paul’s letters, and the first four of the church ages, show a downward progression, so much so, without Christ’s intervention, everything would be lost.

The fifth parable, Paul’s fifth letter, and the fifth church age birth life again in the return of the new birth and Pentecost, i.e., salvation by grace.

The six parable, Paul’s sixth letter, and the sixth church age is the time of deep transformation, the long journey into the likeness of Christ.

The seventh parable, and Paul’s seven through nine letters, and the seventh church age, bring similar and different truths of what the closing season(s) of the Gospel dispensation looks like on the threshold of the Tribulation.

The three accounts give a picture of 2000 years of church history.

And also, not by coincidence, broadly correspond to the fifth and sixth day of creation, which were set in motion by the Spirit of God to make men and women into the likeness of God within a set period of time.

That creation, designed and ordained by righteousness for righteousness, i.e., knowing Adam and Eve would fall, was nonetheless designed by God for them to prevail over temptation and complete their journey within a given amount of time.

And even in their fall from grace, God set in motion a plan, within his greater plan, to redeem men and women within his original plan and timing.

It’s not a coincidence in Matthew 13 Jesus pulls back the veil, connecting the parables to creation (NIV, 13:35).

When Christ uttered these parables, he knew his time was short because plots were amiss against his life, only recently noting for the first time he would be killed.

And knowing he would be killed, meant setting in motion a whole new series of events he had hoped would not come to pass.

Ultimately it would mean his death and postponement of the Millennium.

And that meant a whole new series of teachings and prophecies would need to be made in order to prepare his followers, and those to come, for the long break between his first coming and his physical return.

In other words, since Israel was in the process of rejecting their Messiah, their joint mandate to bring the good news of Christ to the world, they will be laid aside.

And Christ would continue his mandate without them to bring the Gospel to the world through his spiritual body, until another fullness of time.

Entrance into Tabernacles, A “Beginning” Long Overdue

Most of us who have been Christians for a while can point to Scriptures in the New Testament showing or teaching the new birth and Pentecost.

We read those Scriptures and see the truths of God’s Word without a lot of difficulty, because those truths have become common knowledge.

We pass over them without much thought.

But that was not so before the Reformation in the 1500s and Azusa Street, the return of Pentecost, in the early 1900s.

We wonder how anyone could miss these truths for over a millennium?

And yet the body of Christ is in the same dilemma today regarding the truth of the third feast, Tabernacles.

The Millennials will look back and think, how could so many people for so long miss the truth of Tabernacles?

It’s the feast of transformation, being grafted into the tree of life, Christ Jesus, (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Yes, there’s a difference between Passover (new birth), Pentecost (baptism of the Spirit), and Tabernacles, the long journey of being healed and restored into the likeness of Christ, putting sin to death to walk in new life.

Just like there’s a difference between the barley harvest, wheat harvest, and the summer fruit harvest of fruits, nuts, and olives (Leviticus 23), and what they represent symbolically in the New Covenant.

And to go from grains to fruit requires grafting, to die to sin to walk in new life, being grafted into union with Christ.

There’s a profound work of the Spirit in the body of Christ today and many are not aware of it.

The lack of knowledge and vision among the greater body makes everyone’s journey more challenging, extending our journey (see 2 Peter 3:12).

Just as the new birth experience has a beginning, and a journey in understanding one’s entrance into the Kingdom of God, so to Pentecost.

It has a beginning, and a long journey of teaching, operation of gifts, administration of offices, and for most, greater understanding of the plan of God.

And just as the first two feasts have a beginning and journey, so does the feast of Tabernacles.

There are many Scriptures describing the beginning of the feast of Tabernacles, and some the end.

But the great weight of the New Testament writings is about the “journey,” of Tabernacles.

BTW, the “last days,” does not just refer to the “latter times,” or, the “end-times,” but to the entire two millennium period between the first coming of Christ and his physical return near the end of the Tribulation.

Context determines, like so many things in the New Testament, what period of time is being reference.

Preface

Before Esther could be brought before the king of Persia she went through a period of preparation.

And before her period of preparation, she was chosen from among many.

Before David could take possession of the Ark of the Covenant, intimacy with God, he had an estimated 15 years of preparation in the wilderness.

And before David’s wilderness journey, he had history with God, being selected by the Lord to rule and reign over Israel, but being named King, is not the same as being “made” King.

Christ was born a King, God with us, our Savior, etc.

But, like those who foretold his coming, he had to be “made” King, Lord, Savior, High Priest, Prophet, the Word of God written on the tables of his heart and mind, being made flesh.

Everybody has to offer something, and Christ was no exception.

And Calvary was not the place of the free will offering, sacrifice, of Christ to his Father in being made perfect, Hebrews 5:7-10.

But the place of being killed, the shedding of the New Testament in his blood (NIV, Matthew 26:28).

Having to purchase those he had already redeemed in his sacrificial atonement, i.e., the offering of his life to God, symbolized by the intimate expression of his blood, in putting sin to death by the power of the cross.

The newborn’s heart is not prepared for the wilderness journey of Tabernacles.

You must have some history with Christ before he can choose you to enter into Philadelphia, Tabernacles.

(Sardis, is symbolic of the fifth church age, the Reformation period beginning in the early 1500s through and including the return of Pentecost in the early 1900s.

Philadelphia, is symbolic of the sixth church age, the age we presently live in, the return of the feast of Tabernacles, the revelation of Christ by grace, the making of the bride.)

A newborn suddenly ushered into Tabernacles would be like a new convert to Judaism in the Old Testament being ushered into the Holy of Holies.

Each feast in the Old Testament was based on a growing season, first the barley harvest, then wheat, and then the summer harvest of fruits, nuts, and olives.

There’s an element of time, preparation, planting and training that goes into each season, an order in their occurrence.

Though healing, inner and physical, and deliverance, occurs in the new birth and Pentecost, Tabernacles is as different as they are to each other.

It’s at another level: a long and intensive journey of deep healing and restoration in the core and foundation of who we are.

The barley and wheat harvests were critically important, but it was the precious summer harvest everyone looked forward with great favor and anticipation.

The longer growing season of the summer harvest is symbolic, foretelling the preparation and maturation of the bride.

It is a deeply intensive, intimate, journey of transformation led by the Lord.

Jesus comes to a Samaritan woman when others avoid her, to a tax collector who others despise, and has dinner with those who place heavy burdens on their fellow man, leaving those who walk with him mystified and out of sorts at times.

But Tabernacles is when he comes to those who have history with him, to usher them into the deep waters of the Spirit they would otherwise miss camped on the other side of the Jordan.

The first one was Peter, and untold tens of thousands ever since.

Who knows how many, Christ, will usher through the open door of Philadelphia in the closing days of the Gospel?

** Matthew 24:36 – 51 **

“‘Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.’” (NIV, Matthew 24:40-41).

The context of this passage is not about one being raptured, and one left behind, but those from across the Gospel dispensation who find favor with the Lord and are “taken,” i.e., chosen, for the deep work of the Spirit of grace (1 Peter 1:13).

This Scripture alerts God’s sons and daughters he comes as any good father would, to those who’ve been about their father’s business, not to condemn, but to judge sin, bringing it to an end in their lives.

He comes to advance the Kingdom of God in those desire the all of him.

He comes to write his name in their hearts and minds (Hebrews 8 & 10).

The coming of the Son of Man forms Christ in his sons and daughters.

Noah prepared an Ark and he and his family were saved.

Jesus prepares the Ark of God in us, a habitation for the Lord, so we and our household will be saved.

The lesser David possessed it, the greater David, Christ, became it; and we will in him, as we journey the adventure he pioneered.

The ones taken are those who’ve gone beyond wanting to know “about,” Jesus, and “his presence,” to wanting “him.”

They’re those who know Christ came to heal and save, desiring all he has to offer, like the woman who wearied the judge until he brought her recourse.

They know what they have is only the down-payment of Christ, deeply desiring the full measure of him this side of Heaven.

They understand many of the promises of God are for this life, where transformation occurs, that when we’re cut from the thread of this life, what remains will remain for all eternity. (Revelation 22:11)

That now is the time to be made into Christ’s likeness in union with him, not Heaven.

They know there’s more to Christ than what’s taught and preached; their hearts bearing witness with the Spirit and Word; there’s more, much more, and, are ready to “take” the next journey in him.

They know there’s more than the new birth and baptism of the Spirit.

They see the promises of God of a new nature, the defeat of sin, to walk in resurrection life, the bride, and they want it.

They see the promises of God to be a new creation here and now, for earth, wanting what Jesus paid such a dear price for.

They know the Scriptures speak of a deep work of Christ; to cleanse and heal his sons and daughters of their wounds and brokenness, and generational sins that feed upon them.

They want to be new wine into new wineskins (NIV, Matthew 9:14 – 17).

They know the coming of the Son of Man is a time of transition and promotion; from the long season of preparation into the final segment of the Christian pilgrimage – the Holy of Holies – the feast of Tabernacles, cleansing and redemption, body, soul, and spirit.

They know their present state in Christ only goes so far, having become aware of the “vision” God has for them that stretches well beyond their present relationship in Christ.

They feel the wooing and drawing of the Spirit to prepare for a deeper work of God, one deep into the interior of the Kingdom of God.

Their hearts want everything like Enoch of old, Moses, Abraham, Elijah, David, Samuel and so many others who reached for the promises of God.

They may have heard about those in the Old Testament who foretold of the deep work of grace, as “types,” of Christ: their long wilderness seasons of preparation for the presence of God – the likes of Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Elijah, etc.

They’re likely aware of David’s sojourn in the wilderness, fleeing the wrath of Saul, a type of the sinful flesh persecuting the Spirit; the Spirit prevailing, putting sin to death to walk in new life, the promises of God.

Jesus is speaking to those who have some knowledge of the Old Covenant, and to those in future generations who have not only the knowledge of the Old, but the writings of the New.

****

Just as everyone who has experienced the new birth is not the same, or Pentecostals, neither shall the bride be the same in maturity and development.

Those who have hearts to become brides, may not come to the highest position possible, because of a lack of resources in the body of Christ to bring certain healing, nonetheless, Christ personally will bring them to “bridehood.”

It is likely the Lord used the word “taking,” to show his ownership interest in those whose heart is for him: how he aggressively “rescues” those who are his into the deep things of the Spirit.

This is not about Christ’s second physical coming, but his coming to save and heal those who desire intimacy with him.

The “taking,” used here is not about a single act of taking, but a journey of aggressively delivering his sons and daughters from the powers of darkness.

This is Christ fighting on our behalf, to deliver us from darkness, healing our wounds and brokenness, to make us whole and holy.

This is about wounding the structures of sin in our lives; piercing their hold on us; opening up our wounds and brokenness to the light and cleansing power of the Holy Spirit.

This is about taking us into the wilderness journey with him – the journey of sacrifice, bringing to death the structures of sin in our life, raised to walk in newness of life.

It’s about being ushered into a journey, and not an event.

(In Romans 5:18, the NIV has “…one righteous act…” referring to a life of righteousness by Christ, it is not one single act of righteousness, italicized mine.

And commentaries agree it is the life Christ lived, not one single act.

In other words, in Christ’s journey of being made perfect, fathered by God, the years of obedience, sacrifice, and heart submission to the Father is deemed as “…one righteous act…”

This is important to understand, because it is through journey Christ was made perfect, and it is through journey we are made in his likeness.

References to picking up our cross and follow “in Christ,” and, his sacrifice “…once for all” (NIV, Hebrews 10:10, italicized mine), and phrases like dying to sin, etc., speak of his journey, and not one specific event.)

A Few Perspectives

This passage is loaded with symbolism and truths, here are a few.

Since the backdrop of this parable is about Noah and what it was like in his day, Christ is saying, even in the worst of days, when sin is rampant, and the knowledge of God is far and few between, he’s not hindered.

That he’s searching for those who have a heart for God, and even though they have access to few resources, it doesn’t stop him from taking them unto himself to do a deep work of grace in their life in the revelation of him (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13).

In this parable we have Christians working in the field and mill.

Earlier I shared how our Christian pilgrimage, the new birth, Pentecost¹ and Tabernacles,² are fulfillments of the Old Testament feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, and also pictures of the Outer Court, Holy Place, and Most Holy Place.

(1: the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the journey of teaching, administration, and gifting of the Spirit that comes with that.)

(2: deep healing and transformation, dying to sin to walk in newness of life.)

The field and mill are symbolic of the new birth (born-again experience), and the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost), which are centered largely upon our efforts, the works of the new birth and Pentecost.

Whereas Tabernacles is centered upon “becoming,” the deep work of the Spirit in healing and restoration from the wounds and brokenness of transgressions and iniquities, forming our new nature in the likeness of Christ.

The mill and field are symbolic of the barley and wheat harvests – the grain harvests – the first two harvests of the three harvests of Israel’s agricultural year, Leviticus 23 – fulfilled in the New Covenant in the new birth and baptism of the Spirit.

(The three “growing seasons, harvests, feasts” of the Old Covenant foretold in the natural the Christian pilgrimage in the New Covenant: the new birth (barley harvest), Pentecost (wheat harvest), and Tabernacles (the summer fruit harvest of fruits, nuts, and olives).

There’s a lot of symbolism here, especially the summer fruit harvest, the most sought for the richness of the harvest. It was the one to endure the hot summer.

And it was not a grain like the first two, but an entirely different harvest, a complete transformation from the first two.)

The mill and field are symbolic of the Sardis Church age, the fifth church age, representing the period of the Reformation through and including the return of Pentecost in the early 1900s (the return of the new birth and Pentecost).

They’re also symbolic of Christians in Paul’s fifth letter, the letter to the Ephesians, and Christ’s fifth parable of Matthew Chapter 13, the “‘…treasure hidden in a field.’” (NIV, Matthew 13:44)

Again, both being symbolic of the new birth and Pentecostal experiences.

In contrast, the mill and field are not symbolic of the summer fruit harvest, the feast of Tabernacles – the deep work of the Spirit of grace in the revelation of Christ (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13).

As I described in the previous post, Jesus chooses those who desire the deep things of God for the deep work of the Spirit of grace, ushering them into the growing season of the summer fruit harvest: the season where “grain” Christians (born-again and baptized in the Spirit) are transformed into “fruit bearing.”

I trust you see the pattern in the Scriptures.

In Matthew Chapter 13, the theme changes from “seeds” in the first four parables to treasure and pearls in parables five and six.

Parable five represents those who know “about” the treasure of Christ, and buy the field that has the treasure – having the treasure but not becoming the treasure, symbolic of the new birth and the baptism in the Spirit.

Parable six represents a deeper and more intimate relationship with the pearl of great price; selling all to process the pearl, or, spiritually speaking, having the pearl make its habitation with the one who purchased it.

Simply, the pearl is symbolic of possessing Christ; having Christ formed in you and me by the creative and transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

The feast of Tabernacles – the creative power of God to take “grain” Christians and transform them into “fruit bearing” Christians – is the power of God to change our natures from corruptible to incorruptible, the pearl of great price, Christ, in you and me.

The Lord gives lots of pictures of the feast of Tabernacles – the transforming power of God to change our lonely natures into his glorious nature, i.e., putting sin to death, raised to walk in newness of life (NIV, Romans 6:10, 8:10 – 11).

The pictures of the feast of Tabernacles are not only in Old Testament types (for example, Moses’, Elijah’s, and David’s wilderness journeys, etc.), and in New Testament fulfillment, Christ’s pioneering journey, and Peter and Paul’s wilderness times, but in the:

• understanding of the Holy of Holies,
• the Philadelphia church age (Revelation 3),
• the baby in the womb of Revelation 12,
• the “choice one of her mother,” Song of Songs (NIV, 6:9),
• the five wise virgins being made ready to be brides (Matthew 25:10),
• the faithful servants invited into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25),
• Christ’s sixth parable of Matthew Chapter 13, the pearl of great price,
• Paul’s sixth letter to the churches – the letter to the Philippians, among others, etc.

 

The Song of Solomon prophetically speaks of the bride in the making; those words ring true today, just as they did 3000 years ago, from Christ to his “bride to be”:

“Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number; but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her.” (NIV, Song of Songs 6:8-9)

Jesus does not want his sons and daughters to stay camped in the new birth and Pentecost, but to cross the Jordan and possess the promised land of resurrection life in the Spirit.

Tabernacles is the wilderness journey of redeeming the territory of our body, soul, and spirit, from the Canaanites who prosper in our wounds and brokenness from generation to generation in transgressions and iniquities.

Christ wants to produce “out of who we become” a land flowing with milk and honey to nourish us and those he brings to us.

Only the summer growing season can produce the harvest of fruits, nuts, and olives, the feast of Tabernacles, of course, symbolically speaking, “…the fruit of the Spirit…”, in you and me. (NIV, Galatians 5:22)

The grain harvests, those working in the field and at the mill, cannot produce a land flowing with milk and honey, the precious summer harvest of fruits.

Only by being grafted into the tree of life, transformed from grain to seed bearing fruit, can we hope to be the bride of Christ, partakers of his divine nature.

This is not about different classes of Christians, some better than others, but about journey: those who desire more will pay a greater cost and receive a greater reward.

The Scripture does provoke us to receive all God has to offer, and to not settle for the loaves and the fishes.

But to press on to the fullness and vision of the Gospel; the desire to be made into the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

There is great risk in the last days for those who settle for less.

We live in the age of the greatest opportunity ever given to men and women in Christ.

And it’s no wonder, because it’s the age of the greatest opportunity in the world to achieve the greatest dreams possible in the natural.

And Christ will not be outdone by the world.

He has reserved this season of church history for the greatest work of God in mankind, the Philadelphia church age.

It is the promise of transformation; to bear the likeness of Christ; the name of God, our heavenly Father, Christ’s new name, and be counted worthy to be named among the living creatures – the New Jerusalem, (NIV, Revelation 3:12).

Never before has an opportunity of this magnitude been offered to the body of Christ in such fullness; a type of what will be fulfilled in the Millennium.

The true Millennials will look back and see what God did in the Philadelphia church age “as a type” of what they’re experiencing in complete fullness.

The Scripture is clear, just as every star differs in glory, so shall we.

The glory of being made into Christ likeness here on earth, what we become here, now, not what happens in Heaven.

The Revelation of Christ

Christ’s “coming, taking, appearing, revealing, judging, etc.,” throughout the New Testament, in most instances, refers to those who are ushered into the long journey of being made one with him, the feast of Tabernacles; because they’ve been wise, faithful, desiring intimacy and union with him.

When we pass from this life to the next, it’s too late, to “become;” there’s no changing who we’ve become on the other side of the Heavenly divide.

What we’ve “become” is who we will be (Revelation 22:11).

Unless we forget, for those in Christ, the salvation journey, broadly speaking, eternity, begins at the new birth, not when we enter Heaven.

Heaven is not the destination but Christ in us, and it begins at the new birth.

It’s a wonderful thought if you’re pursuing Christ.

And a dreadful thought for those outside of Christ.

Joshua and Caleb went into Canaan’s land and the great multitude who left Egypt with them died in the wilderness.

Joshua and Caleb, Moses, Elijah, David, Samuel, etc., are types of those who journey beyond the new birth and into the Holy of Holies – into the presence and transforming power of Christ, changed from glory to glory even into his own likeness (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18).

We live in the time of the Philadelphia and Laodicea church ages.

Philadelphia is an unprecedented work of the Spirit; not a work that has not been done before, but on a scale, intensity and depth unlike anything we know, in and out of Scripture, in past moves of God.

The depth and intensity of Tabernacles today, and what will be released in the future is beyond anything we’ve seen in Church history.

Laodicea are those who name Christ outside of Philadelphia, Tabernacles, and all that entails.

Those who’ve been taken by the Lord into Philadelphia are on the long journey of being made one in intimacy and union with him.

Jesus is no respecter of persons (NIV, Acts 10:34).

He’s searching for those who desire him above all others.

He knows what’s up ahead for the Church, that only the love of God in union with him will carry one above the coming flood waters of darkness.

He’s the great reward!

It’s not his heart to leave one and take another.

He can’t take those on the wilderness journey of healing and restoration and what it entails if his sons and daughters are not interested in being healed.

Some want to stay in the shallow waters of the harbor, while others want to sail on the high seas into the wind of God’s Spirit.

His desire is to take everyone on the high seas of his Spirit; because with him, ships never sink, he knows where to sail to avoid catastrophic storms.

But left anchored in the harbor, when they should be out on the high seas, ships are subject to the violence of storms having no way of escape.

His heart is to take all, having an entire Kingdom of brides.

It’s not too late to seek Christ, to be chosen and taken into the deep work of the Spirit of grace in the revelation of him (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13).

Important

Today, this parable, one taken and one left, is occurring in the body of Christ.

It’s not a future event, but a present one.

We’re in the time of Noah, and God took Noah and began working with him to prepare an Ark.

Today, across the globe, some are being taken, and some are being left.

There’s still time for the undecided to prepare their ship so it can set sail when the harbor pilot, the Lord Jesus, says it’s time to lift anchor.

It is highly likely many alive today will witness the last day harvest of the summer fruit.

Let’s be among those found working with the Lord in the final harvest of souls, helping to catch and clean the lost.

And if the final harvest of souls lingers, then let’s be prepared to help those to come to apprehend even more of Christ.

** Matthew 25:1 – 13 **

Christ conveys many of the same truths in this parable, but it’s elevated from the field and hand mill (likely a description of people groups where the knowledge of God is limited, the toil upon mankind is heavy), to people groups where there’s access to the treasures and resources of God.

This parable describes more of the back story where the knowledge of God and the moving of his Spirit are available.

But, for whatever reasons, the foolish fail to take advantage of the opportunities presented and available to them.

And, except for those who “cry” for his coming (a minority), they all fall asleep under the darkness of the pleasures and cares of this life.

It describes those who respond to the Holy Spirit, seeking Christ in the time of plenty, yet, succumb to the world and all it has to offer.

It’s a parable where both the world and Christ have much to offer.

Where access to the knowledge of Christ in large people groups is available; like Christianity in the 21^st-century in some parts of the world; where some respond and heed the Scripture’s instruction and some do not.

(He started off his storytelling comparing the days of Noah, and the call to Noah to prepare, while others carried on life as usual, to his “coming” – to take those who desire him, and prepare them as brides – to escape, like Noah, the flood of iniquity and darkness to come.

That the New is not like the Old, an outward form of self-righteousness carried forward generation after generation, but where he personally labors in the body “taking,” those who have a heart for him to be prepared as brides.

In reference to Noah (Matthew 24), Christ is in essence saying, you can no longer hide your practiced way of living behind performances of sacrifices and rituals, change is here, and it will require much of me and much of you.)

Christ leapfrogs from the story of Noah, one they’re familiar with, a story of great transition, to another story they’re familiar with, the bridegroom coming for the bride.

He portrays the same theme, preparation and transition in conflict with the cares and pleasures of this life.

And he compares the natural marriage (Matthew 24) as a type of the spiritual union with him to come (Matthew 25:10).

And just as those toiling in the field or the hand mill (Matthew 24), not having much to offer, except their hearts (the greatest sacrifice), Matthew 25 portrays another people group, those taking opportunity of advantages, are sufficiently prepared to meet him and be made ready as (Matthew 25:10, see an interlinear).

Matthew 25:10 says, “‘…The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet.’” (NIV)

The heart of this passage, which the Greek conveys, is those who are prepared from among the wise virgins enter into the marriage celebration with the Lord.

They’re made ready, “prepared as brides,” for their Lord and Savior.

The oil of God’s Spirit and teaching brings the wise to the place where they can be chosen, but, it’s the preparation of the Lord on the long journey of Tabernacles, that makes ready a bride for him.

Verse 10 is not about virgins staying virgins, but transformation; virgins being taken by the Lord on a long journey of being “made ready” to rule and reign with him in the Millennium and beyond.

In the previous parable, Matthew 24, the emphasis was on those found in places not having much in the way of resources and yet Christ takes some unto himself.

In contrast, in Matthew 25, resources are available and some take advantage of them and some do not.

The emphasis of this parable is on moving toward the Lord in the time of knowledge and understanding, responding to the leading of the Spirit to seek the Lord while the day is still light.

The bride will come from all walks of life, from all people groups, from those who’s heart is turned toward him, regardless of the resources available to them.

It’s all about Jesus.

He draws us by his Spirit into the new birth and Pentecost and leads those who want the deep waters of his Spirit into intimacy with him, Tabernacles.

How he reaches out and brings one into Tabernacles is as unique as the individual and the age they live in.

Jesus adds a twist in this parable wisely leaving out details, because no one can “prepare,” to be his bride apart from him, because the bride comes “out of him.”

Simply, the Greek makes a distinction between having enough oil to be chosen, i.e., the wise, and the “preparation” that occurs among the wise after they meet the bridegroom in being “made ready” for the wedding.

We can prepare and multiply what we have in the new birth and Pentecost – be faithful with what he gives us – but being “made into his likeness,” putting sin to death, healing and restoration, is only something he can accomplish in us.

Though the wise virgins gather oil by allowing the Holy Spirit to teach and point them to Christ in preparation for his coming, multiplying and faithful with the sufficiency given to them, only Christ can take them into the journey he pioneered and transform them into brides.

This is a beautiful story, a spiritual story.

Where there are those God has prepared in advance, forerunners, like John the Baptist, calling out to others who are like-minded to awaken and seek the Lord to be taken by him into the wedding banquet, not as guests, but as brides.

The great weight and body of New Testament writings is to be made new from the inside out, the bride of Christ.

He’s searching for wise virgins to respond to his call to go deep in him and be made ready by him for him.

This is the greatest love story of all, to be chosen by Christ to be made into his likeness.

The New Testament letters are written to the highest calling God has possible, and that is “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (NIV, Colossians 1:27)

Important

The new birth and the baptism of the Spirit were never designed as the sole story for our Christian pilgrimage.

But as the beginning of our journey so we could be brought into the deep work of grace in the revelation of Christ (1 Peter 1:13) – to be made his bride, the fullest expression of Sonship (Romans 8:23 & 29).

The new birth and Pentecost bring us into the Kingdom, introducing you and me to the Kingdom and its operations, but it’s Tabernacles, the deep work of grace, that transforms us into the likeness of Christ.

The new birth and Pentecost teach and point to Tabernacles, reaching forward in hope and anticipation, but only Christ can birth, form, and mature sons and daughters in the journey of the feast of Tabernacles.

Many have wondered where is the feast of Tabernacles in the New Testament, because the fulfillment of the feasts of Passover and Pentecost in the new birth and the baptism of the Spirit are clearly evident.

As the journey of Christ was hidden, buried under creeds and traditions, so to the feast of Tabernacles, because they’re one and the same.

When the veil of creeds hiding Christ’s journey is lifted, perfection and Calvary separated, revealing the “sacrificial atonement” occurred at his perfection – healed and restored, raised to walk in new life (NIV, Romans 6:10, Hebrews 5:7-10), the feast of Tabernacles comes into full view.

Just as salvation by grace and Pentecost were restored in the centuries of the Reformation and Pentecost returned, Tabernacles will be restored in greater measure, many being ushered into the deep work of God in the end-times.

The story of the virgins emphasizes taking advantage of the resources of God in the new birth and Pentecostal experiences to prepare for the greater move of his Spirit to come, Tabernacles.

That he will not leave us as orphans, but to come to us, John 4:18.

It’s important to note the coming of the bridegroom to “ready” the virgins for the wedding banquet (NIV, Matthew 25:10), i.e., to “make them” into brides, is about bringing those in the new birth and Pentecostal into a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Lord, fathered by God.

Another note on this short narrative, the “five,” represents a time of “great grace” upon the Church; where the knowledge of Christ and the promises of God have been made available to vast numbers of Christians.

The Grace is there, but the question remains, Who, will seek Christ in the time of the greatest opportunities to be made like him?

Just like the parable in Matthew 24, this parable is not about describing the event of the Rapture.

These parables have nothing to do with the Rapture per se, but the link between the new birth and Pentecost to Tabernacles, the transformation of wise virgins (Matthew 25), and those taken (Matthew 24) into brides.

It’s about seeking the Lord, responding to the Spirit, no matter what church age, to receive as much as possible from the Lord from the resources available, and waiting until he comes to finish the work he started in the new birth.

It must be noted neither the wise or foolish virgins, representing Christians, are shown having intimacy with Christ in their present state.

The foolish know “about” Jesus; the wise know “about” him and his “presence,” (i.e., the oil), but none know him intimately nor deeply.

Only Tabernacles, the opportunities and promises of Philadelphia, can usher us into the grace of knowing and being known (Matthew 25:13) deeply and intimately (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13).

Symbolically, the “lamp,” is Christendom’s way outside of Tabernacles of limiting and restricting the movement of God’s Spirit, among other things.

The lamp and oil must eventually give way to Christ, the promised one, the true light and oil of God.

In Matthew 24, Christ takes some from the “grain harvest,” (i.e., field) into the summer fruit harvest to be grafted into the tree of life, transformed from grain to fruit producing Christians.

In this parable, lamp and oil Christians are instead transformed from “having to carry lamps and gather oil” to becoming “vessels of light.”

In the previous parable grain Christians are transformed into fruit bearing trees of fruit, nuts, and olives, the most precious and sought harvest.

In this parable, Christians are transformed from the toil of being light “carriers,” too light “bearers.”

Jesus said, “‘…let your light shine before others, that they make see your good deeds, and glorify your Father in heaven.’” (NIV, Matthew 5:16)

Paul said to the Thessalonians, “You are all children of the light and children of the day…” (NIV, 1 Thessalonians 5:5)

As the apostle John aptly said, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin.” (NIV, 1 John 1:7)

And remember, the blood of Jesus did not need to be spilled to purify, it was purified in him; for Christ said the New Covenant was in him, i.e., “he” was the New Covenant, having healed and saved for over 3 years! (NIV, Matthew 26:28)

He used the word blood because it was something they could connect with, to denote the depth and extent of the sacrifice he made in becoming their Savior, their Messiah, in being made perfect.

The Church can only walk us so far in our journey toward Christ.

Mother church can only do so much, we need Christ to take us the rest of the way to the Father.

Only the coming of Christ can bring you and me into wholeness and holiness.

It can only come about through a one and one relationship with Christ, fathered by God, in the cleansing, healing, and restoration of our wounds and brokenness.

The new birth and Pentecost are designed to prepare God’s children to be taken by Christ, and, “crossed over” through the threshold of life and death – from knowing about Christ to knowing Christ – into the deep waters of the grace of God’s Spirit in the revelation of Christ (NIV, 1 Peter 1:13).

In order to truly give the fragrance of Christ to another, one must receive the fragrance of Christ for themselves first, through transformation, i.e., Tabernacles, the Philadelphia church age, presented in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Christ’s parable of the pearl, and foretold in Israel’s summer harvest of fruits (Leviticus 23).

It’s no coincidence after David’s long journey in the wilderness, overcoming the deeds of the flesh typified by Saul, a type of the sinful nature, David possesses the Ark of the Covenant, intimacy with God in the Holy of Holies.

The first two feasts, Passover and Pentecost, also pictured by the Outer Court and the Holy Place, foretell body ministry within the Church.

In contrast, the Most Holy Place, pictured in the summer harvest of fruits, Tabernacles, foretells the ministry of Christ on a one-on-one basis with his sons and daughters.

It’s one-on-one ministry, healing and restoring deeply rooted wounds by the creative and transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

****

Regarding the criers, those announcing the Lord’s coming, we know it’s a series of cries to those asleep, some to those called to be forerunners – to wake up and seek the Lord for entrance into Philadelphia, and to those on the threshold of revival, that it’s approaching, even at the door.

The virgins, criers, and the Lord, are all in the same time period.

It’s not criers calling out to the virgins to prepare for Christ’s physical return when he comes near the end of the Tribulation.

Nor is it criers calling out to the virgins during the Tribulation.

The criers are calling out to the virgins to awake and respond to the Lord so they can be taken into the feast of Tabernacles – the “coming,” of the Lord to make ready a bride.

Christ has used some, to call some, to the bride in past church ages.

But this parable is weighted with great grace and resources which points to a future time in the latter part of the last days.

A time when prophecies are coming together and great knowledge and resources has been given to the body of Christ to prepare.

It’s a time when the end-times can be seen on the horizon.

A time when those who’ve paid the price as forerunners call to others to awake and seek the Lord for the deep work of Tabernacles.

Of all church ages, this parable applies to the end-times, the Philadelphia and Laodicea ages, where forerunners are calling others to move beyond the new birth and Pentecost and seek to be chosen for Tabernacles, the deep work of being made one with Christ, healed and restored into this bride.

The Lord’s coming’s is not his physical return, but the “coming” of Christ to his temples, individually, to clean, heal, and restore his “Tabernacles,” making them one with him, before the horrible days of darkness descend on mankind like never before, and never again.   

** A QUICK WORK **

Romans 9:28

“‘Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whosoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.’” (NIV, Matthew 10:41)

If someone has a disease and they go to a specialist, and the specialist walks them through healing, one has received the reward, the fruit, of their diligence and effort to become a specialist.

Simply, one has received the reward, “of the reward of their sacrifice,” in becoming a person who can offer others paths and solutions to healing.

The specialist paid the price to become a doctor; and their reward is offered as fruit to those who partake of the treasure they possess.

And the years it took for them to become specialists may sometimes be imparted to others for healing in a few short hours.

What cost one years of sacrifice was given to another in a relatively short period of time.

Jesus spoke about those who worked all day, and those who only worked a few hours, yet, both receive the same pay.

In the natural, we chafe at the thought of equal pay for unequal work.

But we don’t chafe at receiving an inheritance from one who’s amassed wealth, and, in a moment of time, it’s transferred to us who did nothing to produce it.

Our hearts are complicated.

Christ simplifies matters and speaks directly to the most important matter, relationship with God; doing whatever it takes, as led by the Holy Spirit, to help others make the Kingdom of God their home, new from the inside out.

Christ followed what his Father did, leaving judgment and equity in the hands of his Father.

He chose to rely on his Father to sort things out.

The sacrifice Christ made in being made perfect, a journey spanning almost two decades, being tested by the devil for 40 days in a weakened state, ministering and teaching for over three years in the most profound ministry mankind has ever seen, and then, after all that, having to choose whether to fight or submit to injustice, is beyond our comprehension.

When it comes to fairness and equity as practiced in this world, there exists no standard of measurement to compare to Christ’s sacrifice.

The closest terms we can use is the giving of his life, his blood: using the most intimate term possible to describe the breath, extent, and depth of his sacrifice in being made perfect – a living blood sacrifice, doing the will of God from the heart completely, fulfilling the law in his flesh.

You cannot put a price tag on the cost to Christ in the journey of being made perfect before his presentation to John at the river Jordan.

The body of Christ’s focus is Calvary; but Jesus began sacrificing his life two decades before ministry in becoming the person we would know as our Savior.

When you look at fairness in the natural and the investment God makes in “forerunners” before an outpouring of his Spirit (like John the Baptist, Luther, Seymour, etc.,), it seems inequitable, because, some of what came to them at great cost, others receive quickly.

Christ spent upwards of two decades being prepared for ministry.

John the Baptist spent years if not a decade or longer in the wilderness being prepared to help “announce and prepare” the way for Christ.

Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness before his ministry.

And it’s not practical to list all the other ancients and prophets and the years they spent being fathered by God in preparation for rescuing the people of God.

It’s impossible to properly understand the sacrifices people make in becoming vessels formed and made for the Masters use.

There are people today being prepared by the Lord to be forerunners of the end-time move of God, who will help clean many of the lost before irreversible events are set in motion to close the age of the Gospel as we know it.

God will use those he’s preparing now over a long journey – pushing the frontiers of Pentecost out into the deep waters of Tabernacles – to usher an even greater fullness in the days ahead for others.

And they’ll receive the reward quicker than those who broke through the frontier and into the deep things of God.

When revival breaks forth what used to take years will come quicker to the new arrival.

It is generally the few who pay the pioneering price of new moves for the many.

Great achievements in history usually come from the few for the many.

It’s the story of the greats of the Old and New Testaments.

And it will be the story of the end-times.

The journey of Tabernacles spanning decades will be shortened in the years to come as it deepens and intensifies in the closing season of the Gospel age.

Many will mature quickly and become the bride that took others decades.

There will be those who come into the bride late in the Gospel age and be made one with Christ just as those who went through the journey for decades.

Those who labored for a short period of time will receive the same reward as those who labored all day – and the reward will be Jesus!

With a reward like that, I hope there’s no bad feelings or arguments!

Think about John the Baptist, how long he prepared, and what happened to him, and what he gave to God, as he thought about Christ’s disciples getting front row seats to his healing and deliverance ministry.

We know God will do a quick work in the last days because the open door of Philadelphia is extended into the end-times.

Tabernacles changes the dynamics of the Christian experience from the “process” of Christianity in Pentecost, the fathering movement, and inner healing, to “life,” the deep work of grace in transformation.

There’s inner healing in both Pentecost and Tabernacles, but the intensity, depth, and breath in Tabernacles is transformational and personally lead by Christ.

** HIS JOURNEY **

Christ’s personal journey is the heart and foundation of the New Covenant.

It was the journey of “becoming;” called to become the fulfillment of the promised grace to come God gave through Old Testament types.

The one called to become (who we are called to know intimately), the Messiah, “…Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (NIV, Isaiah 9:6)

It was the journey of being made perfect (NIV, Hebrews 5:7-10), “transformed,” “glorified,” (Matthew 17:2), “healed and restored” (Romans 6:10, 1 Corinthians 15:20, Ephesians and Philippians Chapters 2, Hebrews 7:16, etc.) – redeeming Adam and his generations lost.

He, the man Christ Jesus, was resurrected to walk in newness of life, the high priest of our faith, “…an indestructible life” transformed from mortality to immortality, freely healing and saving Israel’s lost for over three years. (NIV, Hebrews 7:16)

He was the firstborn, first fruit, pioneer, forerunner, of the human race restored; fulfilling the law perfectly in his flesh, having overcome, by grace through faith, in putting generational transgressions and iniquities to death without sin.

And out of the overflow of his perfection, “made perfect, entering the Heavenly Holy of Holies, made one with his Father,” healing and salvation flowed for over three years in the land formerly known as the land flowing with milk and honey.

Out of who he became, fulfilling the prophecies of the promised grace to come, the New Covenant burst forth like the sun on a spring day, rolling back centuries of darkness, lighting a path to the kingdom of God and eternal life.

The destination Abraham and all the prophets looked for was now living in flesh and blood in the land of Israel.

Christ’s perfection set in motion the plan of God foretold in creation: the light of a new day pictured in the creation of the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day, 4000 years from Adam, redeeming relationship with God.

Christ’s perfection is the centerpiece of this creation, the “sun.”

His perfection ushered in salvation by fulfilling the law of God from the heart without sin.

Without it, he would not have overcome Satan in the 40-days of testing.

Nor, would he have prevailed in ministry.

He would not have been able to victoriously overcome the powers of darkness set against him and those he chose as disciples.

The “agreements,” made with the powers of darkness by those close to him would have been too much for Christ if he had not been made “complete” in his Father.

Without his perfection he would not have prevailed at Calvary; likely choosing a different course to either flee or fight, rather than continue to extend God’s grace to unrepentant people deep in sin and darkness.

And this goes without saying, without Christ’s perfection, the plan of God would have been ship wrecked on the shores of Heaven – the tree of life missing wholeness and holiness suitable for grafting wild branches into it.

Without Christ’s perfection, there’d be no salvation, because the law of sin would’ve been proven stronger than the “…law of the Spirit of life…” (NIV, Romans 8:3)

Christ knew what was at stake giving everything he knew to give, putting it all on the line in putting the enmity in his flesh to death (Ephesians 2:14-16, see an interlinear).

Christ’s perfection made it possible for mankind to enter the feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, fulfilling the Outer Court, Holy Place, and Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle.

Without his perfection, all of mankind would have been lost to the powers of darkness, trapped in perpetual sin, birthing generation after generation of sin until God said that’s enough and put an end to this creation with souls having to remedy for sin forever.

Christ suffered in being made whole and holy so we could be made whole and holy in him.

This is the mystery of the Gospel, not the mystery of Calvary, but the mystery of the Gospel – to be made whole and holy in Christ by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit – putting sin to death to walk in new life.

This is why the devil has pulled out all the stops in attempting to crush the knowledge of the journey of Christ in becoming the man Christ Jesus, the perfected son of God, through creeds and traditions.

And Christ knew the devil would seed false teaching in the body of Christ, making provision for it by walking the body of Christ through different stages, what we commonly call the seven church ages.

No, the Lord is not asleep, nor sitting on his throne in Heaven, but actively pursuing those in the body who seek and pursue him.

And for those outside the faith, he’ll use whatever he can to inspire the heart to seek the deeper things of God.

At Calvary, Christ rejected their rejection of him, going over and above what he had already done in becoming their atoning sacrifice, “purchasing” them in their unrepentant state, extending grace to Israel for another generation.

And for us in the Gospel dispensation, we know there’s a grand plan at work and it will come to fulfillment, just like all the previous moves of God.

We know we’re in the “Philadelphia” church age, concurrent with Laodicea.

That we’re approaching another fullness of time, for sin, and for righteousness.

** IT’S NOT AN ISSUE of DOCTRINE **

The knowledge of Christ’s personal journey is not a doctrinal issue, a creed, statement of faith, or, private interpretation (which creeds are!), but the heart of the New Covenant.

It is the meat of Scripture.

It is the journey making salvation and Christ’s ministry possible.

It is the foundation of the Bible, the promise grace to come, restoration from the fall to walk in newness of life in relationship with God.

This is what “made,” Christ, who we’ve come to know and love.

This is the Christ presented to John at the river Jordan.

The perfected Christ, the source of salvation.

The Redeemer; the one who faced Satan confirming over 40 days he had overcome generational transgressions and iniquities; having put them to death, fulfilling the law in his flesh, perfectly, without sin.

He’s the one who ministered for over three years to Israel with “…signs, wonders, and various miracles…” (NIV, Hebrews, 2:4)

He’s a lamb, the atoning lamb sacrifice, the Lamb of God made perfect before ministry – redeeming mankind, fathered by God, before his presentation to John.

He’s the better sacrifice of a better covenant – a living sacrifice.

Dynamic Change

Many picture the Christian journey as a slow evolving process, over years and years, with little changes here and there, eventually bringing us into the likeness of Christ.

The onslaught of humanism and particularly evolution over the last few centuries has painted a picture of gradual change over time, punctuated here and there by dynamic events, but mostly gradual.

And that thinking has permeated Christendom.

Christ’s ministry and the ministry of those who followed after him shattered there’s “…nothing new under the sun.” (NIV, Ecclesiastes 1:9)

That life continues as it always has, and, importantly, an individual is not likely to see dynamic change in their life, or, their lifetime, especially when it comes to Bible prophecies.

It’s the subtle notion dynamic change happens to other people at other points in time and is not likely to happen in your lifetime.

The truth is since the dawn of creation and mankind, men and women have been living in Bible prophecy, some more noticeable than others, but nonetheless being carried in the stream of the prophets and creation itself.

Of course, there’s the truth certain changes happen gradually over time as we all know.

But when it comes to spiritual matters, and the operation of the Spirit of God, change can come quickly and decisively, just as it can gradually.

The born again and Pentecostal experiences are sudden and dramatic changes, transporting one from the kingdom of death to the kingdom of life.

They’re specific, tangible, spiritual events, dynamically changing the way one thinks, acts, and believes.

The experience of Tabernacles, the deep work of grace, is even more sudden and dynamic, as the Lord brings cleansing, healing, and restoration to the deep wounds and brokenness of men and women.

The Christian journey was never designed to go month after month, year after year, decade after decade, growing intellectually “about,” the Bible, but not being transformed from glory to glory into the likeness of Christ. (NIV, 2 Corinthians 3:18)

The absence of transformation eventually leads to what Paul describes as “…having a form of godliness but denying its power…” (NIV, 2 Timothy, 3:5, italicized mine)

The Christian pilgrimage has a specific vision and destination in mind.

It’s about the “making,” of the New Covenant in God’s sons and daughters.

The New Covenant is not just about coming into relationship with God, but being made new from the inside out, the promised grace to come, creating “New Covenant” likeness in men and women.

And to be changed from glory to glory, requires dynamic change provisioned by God primarily through the feast of Tabernacles in healing and restoration.

The transformation journey Christ pioneered was not just for him.

No one pioneers a journey just for themselves.

Christ pioneered the journey of being made perfect, putting sin to death, to redeem his generations, and for those in him to redeem their generations as well, of course, in Christ.

How else can the promise of the grace to come transform you and me, and restore our relationships with our loved ones, as Malachi prophecies in the last Scripture of the Old Testament.

The cleansing and healing of Tabernacles will not only be our reward, but the reward of those God brings our way in our family line for healing and restoration.

Christ is the sign, path, and, most importantly the destination.

Calvary is not the path or the destination.

It’s a sign, the sign of Noah, testifying and confirming what Christ said about himself, what he said about those who killed him, and those to come.

His “sign” at Calvary pointed to the fulfillment of the promised grace to come in him, one last sign giving Israel an opportunity to come to forgiveness (Matthew 26:28).

If we miss this, then we miss the heart of the Gospel: Christ is the “path” designed and ordained by God to put sin to death by grace through faith by the power of the Holy Spirit.

He did come to leave us in sin, but to free us from sin.

And Tabernacles is the wilderness journey God designed for just that purpose.

He came to heal and restore mankind: outside of him, there’s no other “‘…the way and the truth and the life.’” (NIV, John 14:6, italicized and bold mine)

He’s the sign saying to the unrepentant and unbelieving all the prophets spoke is here in me.

He’s the path from Passover to Pentecost and through the long season of Tabernacles, the latter being the deep work of grace of the revelation of Christ in our wounds and brokenness.

He’s the path of dynamic change from “barley,” to “wheat,” to “summer fruit harvest” Christian.

And he’s the path from the Outer Court, to the Holy Place, and on into the long journey of the Most Holy Place, the deep work of the Spirit, to be made new to walk in resurrection life.

The transition from Pentecost to Tabernacles is a dynamic change that ushers one into what some call, behind the veil, behind the tomb, and on into the deep work of the Spirit toward resurrection life.

No matter what label we give the deep work of the Spirit, or pieces of it the Lord gives to men and women in revelation, the feast of Tabernacles is here to stay and will be the guiding light of Christ in the last days.

And though many, from the tone of Scripture, may not enter in, preferring to stay in Laodicea, and the presence of other past church ages, those who come into Philadelphia will be richly rewarded for the sacrifice of their lives in Christ beyond what they could imagine or think.

Blessings, Drake

(NIV) Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblical, Inc.™